Burlington Derailed — The Continuing Story

31 October

Halloween Nightmare II - The Saga Continues




05:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Council Election Means Fall Cleaning


Spike,

Is this Burlington City council a bunch of wimps or what? Listen to some of the BS that they put out there during this election.

1) We can't use the word privatize, because the employees don't like that word.

2) We can't really talk about pay freezes or furloughs because the employees just don't like that and they may get mad at us.

3) We couldn't ask them at the last contract to pay a portion or their monthly health insurance because they have always had it free, or at least that is what we are told. We can't change things because it's "too difficult."

4) We are going Green! We are saving fuel. We have some of the most fuel efficient cars that the City has ever had. Really Garry! We have never had so many large gas guzzling SUV"s in the City's history is the truth.

5) We gave them pay raises and Free health insurance for the next 5 years and this was the toughest contract that we have ever negotiated. What a bunch a bullshit and we all know it.

6) And last, our City attorney can cost the City several hundred thousand dollars and lose case after case that we should not even be in, but we can't replace him because "Our City manager feels comfortable with him" does this mean more work for the City manager to bring a new City attorney up to speed. That is a very poor reason to keep our attorney.

7) We like to plan and have a vision. Oh really, that's why Cascade Bridge is boarded up

Is this real leadership by our Council or just a bunch with no back bone? No wonder nobody votes anymore. They have given up and won't waste their time.

Citizen

Very well stated and exactly on point.

Spike

05:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Why Senator Courtney & Obama Fear the Internet


Spike,

Hammering a Spike into the heart of heart of the single party system. Nothing scares them more.

RT




04:40:00 - SPIKE - No comments

30 October

It's Auction Day At KCPS


Flagship radio station KCPS is having their Halloween auction today.

Stimulate the economy.

Spike

07:36:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Jeff Heland Tries to Drop Fred with Hate Claim


On Thursday’s Big Show 1150 AM Cry Baby Large Mouth Ass Jeff Heland tried to drop Fred with a claim of hate speech for the morning Big Show. The exchange occurred at about 7:42 if you want to listen on the KCPS archive.

Or better yet, Click Here.The clip begins with Fred discussing a USAToday article misstating the jobs saved with stimulus money.

Heland told Fred, “You need to examine your conscience.….You hang up too much on Mary (Baker).....I don't believe we made George Bush jokes. ”

When the subject of Heland's failure to limit his wild county spending habits with taxpayer money came up, Heland snapped with his ugly side to Dan Hockett, “You hate speech monger.”

Our suggestion? Mary call Jeff at 752-6050 and commiserate with each other.

After that riveting exchange Jeff, you might consider your exploits in Gulfport. Maybe you would like to enlighten the voters on your exploits over there and how “You need to examine your conscience.”

Not too many people would appreciate that. Except maybe our drunk ex-mayor Mike Edwards.

Barack O’Bummer

07:30:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Two Forms of Justice - Scott & Bell


Spike:

Tim probably had the same DNR permits that the city used to dispose of the Manor trash although we all know there couldn’t have been any hazardous materials in those WWII constructed homes. Otherwise, they couldn’t have dumped them into plain old holes in the ground somewhere out in the country.

It wouldn’t surprise me if they dumped the ball park lights in the same dump or dumps since they’ve always lied about what happened to them.

It’s nice to know our city government is entrusted to a group of liars and low life’s that are capable of slithering under the nearest rock when questioned about misdeeds.

Remember we have the Tim Scott/Eric Bell laws for the city employees and their dependents and then the regular justice system for the rest of us.

Burlington just reeks of injustice and nepotism.

Disgusted

07:20:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Burlington Terminal Destination


Spike,

'Switzerland announced plans yesterday to crack down on “suicide tourism”, signaling that it might close the Dignitas clinic that has helped hundreds of terminally ill people to take their lives."

"For God's sakes, let's do something pragmatic and progressive here. This trail is a great thing for us. Eco-tourism is the future of southeast Iowa," Des Moines County Board Chairman Jeff Heland said. "Not being able to have the trail go through here hurts us."

"If you've seen one tree, you've seen 'em all," A wise man said.

Is tourism the last refuge of every desperate to cover their tracks political hack? Heland is a strong argument for the case. Leaders like Heland have made Burlington depressing as hell. Why not capitalize on their work.

There are more trees than casinos. There are more casinos every day. Go for something unique. The Swiss could be handing Burlington an opportunity.

Make Burlington the check out destination of the Western World.

It would take some slick legislative action. Put the plan through as an amendment on some obscure piece of legislation. Other legislators will buy in if there is a none resident assisted death tax. Because of its special economic depression status, Burlington gets a ten year exclusive franchise. Just like the Manor Mall, Senator Courtney is the man to make such a plan happen.

The City Council will issue the permit in a special downtown redevelopment zone. Naturally, there will be a local option assisted death tax in the state code. Another special local option tax, watch our Council people jump on it.

We must do something to supplement our dying previous development schemes. Our flat line leaders may finally have an option that will raise our town from the dead.

Happy Halloween!

Frank N. Stein

07:15:00 - SPIKE - No comments

A Rippling Rip Tide On The Road to Perdition


Spike,

"“It’s your turn,” Mimmack told an audience of several hundred people. He said Ottumwa’s experience in 2005 gives it an edge in the competing locations for casino expansion."

"The casino will reduce social problems created by high unemployment and high taxes. The casino itself will create more than 300 full time jobs with benefits, plus hundreds or thousands of additional tertiary jobs. It will provide tax relief to people already overburdened by taxes. It will provide money for community development projects directly improving the region’s overall quality of life."

Let it be Ottumwa's turn. Burlington bought into that line and look at the results. Are you enjoying your tax relief and no level of crime causing concern?

Riverside continues to reverberate on Catfish Bend's cash flow. A newer gambling hall better planned and not that far away may just make Burlington's problem go away.

Check out Ottumwa's online petition to the Iowa Racing and Gambling Commission. Tell the promoters you will sign with a provision. They buy and remove all recoupable water park assets at Catfish Bend and fill in Huck's Hole.

There's a sucker born every minute.

George Hull

07:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Your Choice - Our Founding Fathers vs. Obama's Transformation








06:55:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Obama's Muzzle On Free Speech






06:45:00 - SPIKE - No comments

29 October

Scott Bell Immunity


Spike:

Tim Scott is as immune from the law as was Eric Bell because they are operating under the home free laws that public officials and their offspring enjoy while the rest of us are subject to the written and enforced laws of Iowa.

Wasn’t it Tim that was selling private goods on public land? I assume this is another fringe benefit for the purpose of coddling our dimwitted public servants.

Every time I drive by the Manor it makes me sick thinking back on how they forced those people to leave their homes based on a strip mall that Burlington didn’t need. Destroying lives for the purpose of low paying retail non-benefit jobs we didn’t need in the first place. We should probably make a monument out of the Manor in memory of those that were thrown out of their homes in a hurry because the city wanted to circumvent a new law soon to be enacted by the State of Iowa concerning Eminent Domain, which would have prevented the entire fiasco.

Our so-called senator Courtney was right in their pushing for the city to acquire the Manor and more than likely kept the city informed on the best time to make their move towards destroying lives, just don’t think he wasn’t involved.

Now we have the public that George Carlin spoke about that appeared in yesterday’s Derailed. I guess George knew plenty that the rest of us didn’t.

Disgusted

Courtney was a key player along with Crooked Bruce Slagle, Iowa's Losingist Lawyer Scott Power and the drunk ex-mayor Mike Edwards.

It was all an effort to curb the failure of the railroad lawsuit and deflect the scrutiny of how they all played pocket pool with taxpayer money.

Spike

03:36:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Galveston Health Care Plan - It Works - But Ignored






03:30:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Import Skilled Reporters to Replace Fiction Writers


Spike,

"The Advertiser is still pestering people at home via phone trying to solicit customers. The last one I got sounded as though it was coming from India or some foreign country." Paperless

You must give the Ad Vertiser credit for honesty. Their telephone subscription effort is an actual fore taste of what you get. Just read an Ad Vertiser.

Many Ad Vertiser produced local stories leave you scratching your head in wonder. What were they trying to say? The knowledge of local geography can be at times hilarious. Never let facts get the way of a sensational story.

Pick not on the South Asians. Odds are the person on the other end of the line could be a top flight graduate student. Their written English skills many of us should strive to match.

Rather than have well educated Southeast Asians calling to promote the Ad Vertiser, bring the cream of Southeast Asia's educated here. Replace Jimmy Olson with better talent. A good product is easier to sell.

The Ad Vertiser would be wise to start a crusade against the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission. Once the new help discovers wages and working conditions are better in the meat packing industry, it will be hard to keep them from riding the bus north.

IG

03:20:00 - SPIKE - No comments

28 October

Tim Scott's Draintainer Pollutes Streets - Cops Ignore It, TWICE!!!


Spike,

On 10/26 at approximately 3pm I was pulling out of GRMC and turned right to go to West Ave. I followed the DrainTainer truck. He was pulling a trailer with a holding tank with what was apparently a valve left open and muddy looking water running all over the road.

I pulled up behind him and honked and pointed to his trailer. His helper or whatever in the passenger seat turned around and then turned around to face front again. He turned left on Division and I continued to West Ave.

I then met him at the corner of Broadway and West Ave. and he was still flowing full bore. I called public safety twice and left his location but I bet because it was Tim Scott it is okay for him to dump dirty water on the road which could be sewage water.

When you hold public office I am sure it is okay to bend the rules.

WR

Doesn't matter what was in that tank. You can't dump it on the roadway. Hazardous waste? Probably. How hazardous? Do the other honey trucks get a deal to dump on the streets?

About 6 weeks ago a driver emptied heating oil up and down the streets around Chanen's junk yard. I think he received 20-30 tickets.

A mandatory answer is required from both the Police Chief and Tim Scott.

What gives?

Somebody notify DNR.

Spike

04:07:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Christians Won't Direct My Vote


Spike:

For Your records. I hope you voted as the guide said God instructs.


ORDER VOTER GUIDES NOW

The Iowa Christian Alliance Voter Guides have been painstakingly assembled, edited, re-edited, checked and re-checked. They have been reviewed and approved by attorneys, expert in the interpretation of federal internal revenue policies as applied to political activities by non-profit organizations. Churches that choose to distribute the ICA Voter Guides to their members before, during or after services will not violate any internal revenue rules and will not put in jeopardy their tax exempt status.

Order Voter Guides for your church, Bible Study, or other group now. Please call our office at 515-225-1515. Or go online to: http://www.iowachristian.com/voterguiderequest.htm to place your order.

The sooner you order, the more efficiently we will be able to get them into your hands. It will also help us decide how many we will need to have printed.

GH

If some bonehead pulled one of these out in church in front of me, I'll turn them in to the IRS and let them sort it out.

This is just too much for me.

Spike

04:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Ask the Right Question






03:05:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Beautiful Burlington


Spike,

"DETROIT – A photographer and an architect plan to freeze one of Detroit's thousands of abandoned homes this winter, encasing it in ice to draw attention to foreclosures that have battered the region."

The incumbents running for City Council talk of beautifying Burlington. We need to draw more people into downtown Burlington.

The old J. C. Penny Building is a prime candidate for a winter art object in wonderland.

J. Frost

02:57:00 - SPIKE - No comments

27 October

Delivering Them From Further Temptation




My money is going where temptation has better oversight.

JB


11:30:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Should GOP Needs Be Preplanned


Spike,

How serious do you think the local political money laundering complaints are? Could it mean doing time?

I wonder if these people maybe able to help?

GGL
11:20:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Iowans for Tax Relief - Another Kim Lehman Mission


Spike,

Hurd is tied to the tracks and the Zephyr is whistling. He is done. Gopal may get run over too. The others are on the run.

Sheffler will probably survive. Hucksterbee, Pat Robertson, Newt Gingrich, may come to his rescue. Scheffler has been a nice point man. The problem is his ego. He should have stayed only a State Central Committee member.

This has nothing to do with saving babies. If the babies were saved, it would be bad for business. Just like if Jesus returned, what happens to their cut?

This has everything to do with money. That should be obvious from the laundry done at Hurd's econowash.

BK

11:15:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Pickin' Fights


Spike,

Here's what Glenn Beck had to say about picking fights. Seems like BurlingtonDerailed might fit the same mold. Maybe our local leaders should embrace you.

FL

"The administration seemingly is wasting a lot of time, and energy, attacking Fox News…Why would they do that? It doesn’t make any sense. I mean if you think of it strategically, you don’t pick a fight with Fox News, you don’t pick a fight with anybody in the news business! That’s a losing battle every single time. There’s an old saying, ‘you don’t get into a war with people who buy ink by the barrel’….Fox doesn’t even buy ink! It’s unlimited air time. Why would you do that?"


Embrace us? All I can see is a big, old, jagged, blood-stained, rusty, butcher knife being hoisted to plunge deep into Spike's back by Publisher Steve Delaney at the direction of any number of Burlington's incompetent, over bearing, self-important dipshits (Maybe even a Republican or two along with the usual Democrat suspects) that have a strangle hold on our life.

Spike





11:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Burlington's Voters


Spike:

Here’s a good one that fits the Burlington voter to a tee although you should edit the second to last word in the paragraph.

Here is something from George Carlin that fits the Burlington voter to a tee.

"Now, there's one thing you might have noticed I don't complain about: politicians. Everybody complains about politicians. Everybody says they suck. Well, where do people think these politicians come from? They don't fall out of the sky. They don't pass through a membrane from another reality.

They come from American parents and American families, American homes, American schools, American churches, American businesses and American universities, and they are elected by American citizens. This is the best we can do folks. This is what we have to offer. It's what our system produces: Garbage in, garbage out.

If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you're going to get selfish, ignorant leaders. Term limits ain't going to do any good; you're just going to end up with a brand new bunch of selfish, ignorant Americans. So, maybe, maybe, maybe, it's not the politicians who suck. Maybe something else sucks around here... like, the public. Yeah, the public sucks. There's a nice campaign slogan for somebody: 'The Public Sucks. (Screw) Hope.'"

GH

I think some of them "pass through a membrane from another reality." For some, a bigger membrane than others.

As for 'The Public Sucks,' we've already been labeled dumb so it really doesn't matter if we suck. That's a given.

Spike

11:05:00 - SPIKE - No comments

No Wonder Ad Vertiser Hurting for Ad Dollars


Spike:

I see the Advertiser ran a full blown bit about lesbian marriage and if that’s the best they can do for news it’s no wonder their hurting for business.

With everything of importance going on in our country the Advertiser crams same sex marriage down our throats. If that’s the only news around we must be living in a fantasy land and I don’t think that’s the type of material our children should be seeing on the front page of the paper.

I also notice Mike crawled out from under his rock and bashed Bush again although he’s been out of the White House for about eleven months. I wish Mike would stick with the general interest stuff and drop his band wagon Bush busting lyrics.

The Advertiser is still pestering people at home via phone trying to solicit customers. The last one I got sounded as though it was coming from India or some foreign country. They just never give up in their efforts to gain more readers of their one party censored news.

Paperless

11:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

26 October

Iowa's GOP Earthworm Festival






03:43:00 - SPIKE - No comments

GOP Scheffler: Attack My Accuser!


Spike,

"The woman is not dealing with a full deck of cards," said Scheffler. "The woman is a troublemaker. She attacks everybody and anybody."

Go after the woman who filed the complaint. Never mention corroboration by others, including one admitting to writing and mailing the checks to Hurd that supposedly is the brains behind Scheffler. When you make your own trouble, blame others.

Note the location of the link. If the Governor of Minnesota decides to run for President, he now knows people and organizations to beware of in Iowa. All this may be bad for Iowa "Christian" Alliance business.

SOL

What an idiot.

Spike

03:27:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Misdirected Energies Won't Solve GOP Problems


Spike,

If local Republicans spent less time on their prayer benches and doing the laundry, they might amount to something. Who in their eyes is good enough to recruit to run for anything? After this investigation is over, how long will it take before any candidate would even consider running as a Republican.

Heland doesn't need to sit around counting beads. Jeffy's jelly jar is safe.

MG

Someone might run if they didn't get head butted by Massner or had their wallets picked clean by Hurd, Scheffler and Lehmann. Until the cult is removed the closest you can get to a Republican is Dixon, IL.

Spike



03:24:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Is it Safe to Do So?


Spike,

"It has been written about and no one has the guts to stand up and stop this crap."

If somebody did stand up to this corruption in the name of the holy, would they get beat up?

SF

Slapped silly with the closest King James Version.

Spike

03:20:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Time For City Government Change


Spike,

I think we all wanted change and accountability in the last election. We didn't know what kind of change we were in for; President Obama scares me.

The government has no business running our health care, anything they do run costs double. The post office raised the stamps and we still had to give them $4 billion to run.

I thought Gary Thomas and Tim Scott were not going to run for city council. Mr. Thomas probably got to thinking about his stepson; that he might encounter more trouble and he could do more for him being on the council.

Mr. Scott, now that summer over, picnic table sales are probably down so the $500.00 he gets for being on the city council looks good.

Mr Davidson is getting an education from Randy Winegard in business and beings there is no crime in Burlington maybe he should take a walk on Maple St. after dark.

The City council needs to be replaced, so everyone get out and vote in the November election.

As for the Manor sitting out there empty, Doug Worden says to stay the course. What other choice do they really have?

The people need to take this country back for our kids and grandkids sake. Not saddle them with more tax debt.

Go vote on November 3rd. Make your vote count for change.

Taxpayer

03:14:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Burlington Mayor's Chair


Spike,

Thought you would like to see what the citizens could do to help our drunk mayors get home. They still have to be careful. But hopefully they won't kill anyone.



03:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Making News Pay


Spike,

"Can vice save journalism?"

Vice has always been the spice of selling news. "Bonn's Hollow Wolf Boy Raised by Raccoons" on the front view of paper vending machines and a web site will draw people in. Besides selling such attention to advertisers, why not betting on the odds?

The big boys of the dying old media are already mumbling about becoming bookies. There is no way small market vendors can compete on national sports, etc. Most customers no longer turn to them for anything but who got caught on the local police blotter.

Combine vice with vice. Let people bet on local stupidity and resulting misery.

Some possible games of chance:

Which local politician will be the next caught driving drunk.
Which local politician will be the next to avoid a drunk driving rap by calling mommy for a ride.

When will Cascade Bridge collapse.
Great than zero, what number of injured, killed.

When will the Manor Mall be sold.
What dollar figure will be the loss to local taxpayers.

What number of empty store fronts will there be in downtown Burlington Dec. 31st next year.
How many bricks will hit pavement in the next downtown building facade failure.
Greater than zero, what number of injured, killed.

Next year, the number of dollars discovered laundered by local pious political activists, the dollar figure of our City debt, Burlington's estimate population decline, the possibilities abound and just keep growing.

On a daily basis, offer odds on criminal arrests and other numbers racket random figure odds. The mobsters made millions off this game during the height of the Great Depression. The small bets of the desperate add up.

Some bets no bookie would dare take. The number of Republicans Ad Vertiser endorsed in the next election.

Spike, you may as well make money off it.

Lucky L.

03:05:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Maoist Anita Dunn's Husband New White House Top Lawyer



Former ACORN Solicitor Now Chief White House Counsel




03:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

24 October

The Chicago Way


""They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way."

–Jim Malone, "The Untouchables"

When Barack Obama promised to deliver "a new kind of politics" to Washington, most folk didn't picture Rahm Emanuel with a baseball bat. These days, the capital would make David Mamet, who wrote Malone's memorable movie dialogue, proud.

A White House set on kneecapping its opponents isn't, of course, entirely new.

....In recent weeks the Windy City gang added a new name to their list of societal offenders: the Chamber of Commerce. For the cheek of disagreeing with Democrats on climate and financial regulation, it was reported the Oval Office will neuter the business lobby. Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett slammed the outfit as "old school," and warned CEOs they'd be wise to seek better protection.""

Or Better yet....





05:27:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Our GOP Cult's Fame and Glory Spreadeth


Spike,

The infamy of our fair City's tiny, cult of corruption, values centered political leadership spreads. Though be they in the minority, a growing majority seethe the light.

Thanks, Spike, for illustrating the devil's web. One flow chart is worth a thousand words.

Through your teachings, more maybe saved from drinking the purple kool-aid and descending into hell.

J. Jones

05:15:00 - SPIKE - No comments

23 October

FBI Watches Glenn Beck


A lady calls the Los Angeles FBI office to inquire about ACORN. They tell her to .......




05:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Obama's Kill Fox - Eat Beck War Ignores Real War Problems


Spike,

Obama met privately for 2-1/2 hours with CNN's bootlickers Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow.

That's 2 hours more than he gave General McChrystal to discuss the war in Afghanistan.

How come?

TR

04:55:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Davidson and Fleming Out To Lunch Over Scott Power


Worden Clueless on Legal Fees

Spike,

What the hell is the matter with Bob Fleming? Calling Scott Power "honorable." I can understand that little suck up Davidson, but Bob use to have a lot more on the ball than he appears to have now.

Just to set the record straight. Scott Power and his law firm flagrantly disregard the ethics rules over conflict of interest. Their representation in this town of all the various parties - school board, city, regional planning, the Chamber and whoever the hell else walks in the door are all violations of the ethics rules. If someone wanted to light off a firestorm, just wait until another tax protest is filed.

For anyone to tell you any different is just plain BS.

For these two council candidates to buy into this quagmire of liability just shows how inept and inexperienced they both are. Bob Fleming knows better. If he doesn't, he sure as hell should if he wants a seat at the council table.

Scott Power's contract with the city purposely coincides with a new council being seated. The new council is always a bunch of scared little girls with never enough backbone to fire Power. Thomas and Scott made campaign promises to fix the Power problem. Four years later, we still have the problem.

Scott Power is a root cause of lots of problems in this city. For anyone to think any different is illustrative of how little they know about what Iowa's loser lawyer is up to.

The voters in this town need to wake up and clean house. Starting with the city council. And follow right down the street and bounce Power off his gravy train.

Enough is Enough

Criticize Mr. Lump Sum Hidden Billing? Iowa's Losinist Lawyer and Taxpayer Leech?

You're right about the conflicts of interest. He'd be in jail in any other venue.

Spike

04:50:00 - SPIKE - No comments

MSNBC's Chris Matthews - Religious Right Just Like The Taliban






04:45:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Manor House Given Away By Mercer - Boarded UP!


Spike,

One of the blighted houses that the City purchased in the Manor and then either gave away or sold cheap, has been moved and sitting at the bottom of Curran/Plane Street on the East side.

The house has been sitting vacant and abandoned since it has been moved. Some of the neighbors are not to happy with this eye sore.

The City should be enforcing their blight codes. It has been sitting for 2 years?

JJ

03:47:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Obama's GE Feather Bed


Spike:

How in bed with Obama is GE? Well here are some unknown facts the public should be made aware of:

GE spends more on lobbying than any other corporation. GE’s CEO has a weekly phone call with a top economic policy official in Obama’s White House. GE, of course, also owns three television stations, including one—MSNBC---that has been famously supportive of Barack Obama.

And since Obama has entered the White House, it seems—to adapt the children’s rhyme—everywhere that Barry went, GE was sure to go:

• Obama pushes a cap-and-trade scheme for curbing greenhouse gasses—GE invests in greenhouse gas credits.

• Obama advocates federal support for expanding high-speed-rail across the country—GE ramps up its investment in high-speed rail.

• Obama dedicates federal funding to embryonic stem-cell research that destroys human embryos—GE partners with stem-cell giant Geron.

• Obama announces a federal push to curb health care expenses—GE launches “healthymagination,” an initiative pitched as creating more affordable high-tech medical products.

The timing between the Obama pushes and the GE investments cuts both ways, as does the causality, it seems: GE is swaying the White House as well as following the White House closely.

This and other Obama/GE White House shenanigans can be read in the Townhall, October 2009 issue. It would appear that Obama and GE are joined at the hip and money along with special interest is the name of the game for both Obama and GE. Is this business as usual in Washington?

Has anything really changed since Obama took over?

Wondering

BTW – the major force behind Cap & Trade credits – Enron. GE plans to be a major trader of the cap & trade credits.

Spike
03:40:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Falcon Reader Hits On GOP Problems Early On


Seems Falcon's reader caught the beginning of the GOP's bad things last year.



03:12:00 - SPIKE - No comments

22 October

Iowa's GOP Party Structure




05:22:00 - SPIKE - No comments

There Is No GOP in Iowa - 'Conflicted' Leadership Flawed


Spike,

Republicans are not represented in Iowa. The GOP has turned into a quagmire of Christian Right Wing Nut Jobs forcing their agendas on us like we don't know what we want or were raised without religion or values.

It all started when Steve Scheffler, the alleged defrocked insurance man and you know what that usually means - sticky fingers, got into bed with Kim Lehman and her band of undocumented nut jobs. It has been written about and no one has the guts to stand up and stop this crap.

Kim Lehman stands in this mix with huge conflicts of interest right up to her eyeballs. Her house of cards, aka Iowa Right to Life, is registered as a 501c4 IRS Non Profit by Kimberli K Pitts that is forbidden by Federal law to attempt to influence elections. However, Lehman has persisted doing this.

Christian values have nothing to do with Republican politics when it is shoveled into an agenda item like it has. The GOP will never win another election if these people including Scheffler and Lehman, and their personal agendas aren't removed from office.

It was written, “If Steve Scheffler isn’t one of your first three visits when you come to Iowa, you’re already beaten,” Chuck Laudner, a spokesman for the Iowa GOP, told Religion News Service in April."

My take on this sounds more like Steve will be one of the first 3 the Feds will visit when they come knocking on doors. And Kim Lehman will be number two.

PJ

Things are such a blur right now.... I think it can't get any more pathetically stupid than it has, but it does, everyday.

I feel like Rush Limbaugh with a new unseen, porn video of Nancy Pelosi.

Obama just said we need to increase the jumbo SBA loan limits. But no banks are making any loans. Heland is handing out free money without regard and sits mesmerized by his largeness.

And then there is the White House's Kill Fox, Eat Beck. Meanwhile, Afghanistan sits while Obama makes a campaign sweep to raise millions oblivious to his duty.

Only a great country can endure this.

But the people need to raise hell starting today with their elected officials and then hold these people accountable with their vote. And that vote starts in November with the council election.

It's not about whether or not Democrats or Republicans are crooked. People are crooked. It just happens to be whatever party gets caught.

It's time to stop it. Fix it and move on.

Spike

04:55:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Hurd's Hard Drive - A Few Days Later


To Our Readers:

We received this email last Friday. After the close call on publishing the article on the strong arm robbery at Catfish Bend we held this for a few days to let everyone in law enforcement do their job.

Today is the day.

Spike

Dear Spike,

I see the West Hill Methodist Church was robbed of a computer. Is that where Iowa Christian Alliance Chairman of the Board Morris Hurd preaches the gospel of Shefflerism?

If the cops find the computer, I hope it is held for evidence. I hope the hard drive is scanned. I hope a mirror is copied and sent to Washington, D. C..

The correspondence between the Wizard of Burlington and Satan may prove interesting to the Federal Elections Commission. There maybe enough there to make Satan lose his tax exempt status as well Hurd's church.

GH

04:50:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Taxes Should Have Been Council Candidates' Discussion


Spike,

Our property taxes increased 6% this year when combining Burlington, DMC and the Burlington school district increases. At this rate, we will increase 60% in the next 10 years.

The council members stated at the forum that they didn't raise taxes. Yes they did, just look at your tax bill.

Most of the council members don't pay much in property taxes, so they don't feel it like some citizens.

Tim Scott only pays $600.00 per year. How does he get by so cheap? Sure, he can afford a little more taxes for the depot or Cascade bridge.

If the taxes stayed the same over the next 20 years, Scott would pay $12,000 in taxes. Many others will pay between $50,000-$75,000 in this same 20 years. Big difference.

The school district is starting to bleed everybody dry too. I guess we get punished and penalized for investing in Burlington.

They are killing small business off, too.

At least Bob Fleming pays a lot in property taxes, so maybe he will be more than the lip service that we hear at election time.

The moderator at the forum asked the council candidates if they would support City employee wage freezes and keep property taxes down. Not one of them answered her question about the wage freeze. They went off in another direction.

Candidates should answer the questions and not avoid them. This is why we have candidate forums.

This is why citizens get turned off.

Baffled

You get by cheap on paying taxes when you rent space at the airport for one thing and then sell picnic tables at retail. Nobody else gets that kind of deal unless you rent the house in Perkin's Park.

Or you're John Mercer running amok in the city trough.

It's time it stopped.

Spike

04:40:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Why Now? What About The Last 4 Years of Nothing?


Spike

I agree with a previous post about Councilman's Scott's comments. I have nothing against Tim Scott, but that has been the problem with the council for the last few years. Scott said he finally got the staff to realize that our seal coat streets were an embarrassment because of neglect.

The City ignored and did away with the sealcoat street program that was in place by a previous council and it was working. Staff did not want to continue this. What did they think would happen to these streets? It was obvious that the streets would deteriorate.

The Council is supposed to direct the staff, not take orders from the staff. If it takes 14 years for a council member to get that accomplished, then something is wrong in City hall. Citizens had paid for this service that was eliminated. The City gave all staff pay raises every year after with our money and let the streets go to pot holes. That is fact and unfair to our citizens. I wouldn't be too proud of that.

Slagle was in charge during this time and that's who I blame for this too. At least Doug Worden is attempting to improve the neighborhood streets. I commend him for that.

I also noticed that the street Garry Thomas lives on received a new black top over lay during his last 4 years on the council. I'm sure that was just coincidence and part of the street plan. We all know there are worse streets in Burlington than S. 12th that received the new street.

Voter

04:30:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Ball Park Lights Still MIA Without Answers


Spike,

I watched the candidate forum the other night.

I didn't hear any council candidate offer to find the ball park lights from the Manor or offer to find the house that John Mercer gave away without any paperwork.

Voters need to keep that in mind when thinking what a good job Scott and Davidson have done while in office. Vote these two out.

Fed Up With Weakness & Lies

04:17:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Ride the Bus from Area 51


Spike,

To grow you must attract outsiders. Granted, they may look and act strange, but get over it.

They are adaptable and willing to assimilate. If you are worried your daughter might marry one, fear not for your grandchildren. There will be none.

These outsiders work hard, strive to become legal citizens, value educating their young and cut their grass. Crime is not tolerated within their community. Their culture demands critical thought before voting. Once advised against doing so, they will not eat your pets.

Would we be better off busing these outsiders to Columbus Junction with our tax dollars?

Barney Hill




04:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

A Crazy Way of Growing Greater Burlington


Spike,

Federal and regional government agencies working hand in hand to spread poverty across the land.

Sec·tion Eight (skshn) n.
1. A U.S. Army discharge based on military assessment of psychological unfitness or character traits deemed undesirable.
2. Slang A soldier given such a discharge or behaving as if deserving such a discharge.

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program which is a rental assistance program administered by the SEIRHA is federally funded by the US Department Housing & Urban Development.

For more information please contact Southeast Iowa Regional Planning M Gates at (319) 753-5107, ext 214 or by email mgates@seirpc.com.

NL

04:05:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Iowa's Rep. Steve King On Latest ACORN Video


ACORN said they turned away the undercover film crew from their Philadelphia office. More lies.

Bank shakedowns by ACORN.

Barney Frank's Involvement

Investigations Needed




03:45:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Progressives Three Tactics to Hurt Us






03:30:00 - SPIKE - No comments

21 October

Missing - One Church Computer



If found, please call the nearest FBI office. Encourage them to send it to Quantico for RICO forensic investigation.

However, use caution when handling. The hard drive contains the work of Satan Scheffler himself.

Spike

13:35:16 - SPIKE - No comments

Government Pay Raises Eliminate City Services


Spike,

There have been news articles about pay scales decreasing or freezing across the Country and the State of Iowa over the last 2 years. The City Council of Burlington just last year voted unanimously to a 5-year contract with pay

raises and free health insurance every year. I believe it was 3-5 % pay increases each year. This was irresponsibly for our council to do this, when so many of their citizens are facing layoffs and furloughs. They just don't get it. They let our infrastructure deteriorate (Cascade Bridge) because the City can't afford to keep it up, but they have money for pay raises every year. Not one council member stood up and voted against those pay raises. They should have! And now they ask for our vote.

Same thing at the County level.

Burlington Resident

05:20:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Is This Heaven? - No, It's Burlington


Spike,

"I think you're already seeing improvements," he (Scott) said. "Our biggest accomplishment was getting our staff to recognize that repairing and maintaining seal-coated streets is a viable option."

We live in a virtual paradise. Streets and sidewalks are being fixed up. Beauty is replacing blight. Oh, my, how nice.

Obviously, it is election time. Would there be more than $100 left in the sidewalk program if different priorities were better set?

Scott is not touting his leading the charge to provide a local casino amusement park with a pile of our money interest free for ten years. Why do the responsible incumbents not want to remind voters of that big accomplishment?

If our collective memory is as short as the fiduciary responsibility of those seeking re-election, expect more of the same. We have only ourselves to blame.

Shirtless Joe Taxpayer

Scott and the rest of these people are so far out of touch.

Spike

05:15:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Bail Out the Ad Vertiser? Not What It Appears!


Spike,

"Journalism is at risk and American society must act to preserve it. That's a key message in a new report co-authored by Len Downie, former executive editor of The Washington Post."

The established media is desperate. They are losing their power and privilege. We must bail them out.

New media is making the old unprofitable. The old media is admitting they can not adjust to the new. The old media wants not for profit tax breaks and "fees" to support "innovative local news groups." Does that mean Spike gets a grant too?

Why should we subsidize failure? If you can't stand the heat of the market, get in line at the soup kitchen.

HST

If Publisher Steve Delaney believes one ounce of the bullshit he spouts in his rag about Free Speech, he and all the rest of his minions should be scared silly stupid.

State run means state run. It doesn't mean private business free to run willy-nilly with something other than what they are told to print.

And to think they all voted for Obama. Look what they have now. Maybe Mike sweet would like to opine about what a great misunderstanding this all is.

We can run this blog from anywhere in the world on a cellphone. Try that with a printing press.

Spike

05:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Free Obama Money


Nothing Better Than Free Money - "I Won't Have to Work"




05:05:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Obama Manufacturing Czar Agrees With Mao & Free Market is ‘Nonsense’


"Political power comes largely from the barrel of a gun."

Bloom is the jackass that should be trying to save the American manufacturing jobs we have.





05:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Freedom of Speech Is Under Attack by Obama



04:18:00 - SPIKE - No comments

George Soros Left Wing? No! He's A Scum Bag!


Andrea Mitchell Slobbers In Defense of Soros



04:07:00 - SPIKE - No comments

20 October

Is Obama Poised to Cede US Sovereignty?





04:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Beck: So Anita Dunn was joking about Mao?





04:05:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Dead Men File No Claims



Spike,

"It's not like the states will get the money free of obligation, about $55 million in the case of Montana. The states would be obligated to pay bondholders no matter if it takes them decades — or longer — to show up. In the meantime, though, states usually earmark the interest earned on such unclaimed money for schools or other purposes."


"K.O. the Nips." Slogans, now politically incorrect, movie stars and more appealed to Americans to buy bonds during World War II. Millions did. Where are they now? States want the unclaimed debt.

Try collecting on "Iowa's Great Treasure Hunt." You probably have seen the State Treasurer's Office ads. Can you get a notarized signature from a deceased? Iowa is notorious for not settling claims on lost and unclaimed assets.

In the mean time, the interest goes into the state budget. What an amazing coincidence.

Anybody sitting on these old war bonds should immediately try cashing them in with the feds. There is plenty of new debt being created every day. Inflation will only eat your proceeds away.

Uncle Sapped

Dead men may file no claims but they do vote with help from ACORN.

Spike

03:55:00 - SPIKE - No comments

It All Depends on Ad Vertising


Spike,

The New York Times said on Monday it would cut 100 newsroom jobs through buyouts or layoffs as it tries to counter lost advertising revenue.

If you are not getting what you are paying for there is something you can do about it. Taking your advertising elsewhere is far better than just canceling a subscription.

GH


03:50:00 - SPIKE - No comments

19 October

Anita Dunn - "We Control The Media"


Spike,

""Very rarely did we communicate through the press anything that we didn't absolutely control," said Dunn.

....Continued Dunn: "Whether it was a David Plouffe video or an Obama speech, a huge part of our press strategy was focused on making the media cover what Obama was actually saying as opposed to why the campaign was saying it, what the tactic was. … Making the press cover what we were saying.""

The White House Minister of Truth has admitted the news media is largely in their camp. Largely, with the exception of one major outlet, Fox News. As a result, war has been declared by the White House and single party government against Fox News.

This bodes ill for our nation.

The results of a single party dictatorship maintained with a complaint press are devastating. Freedom is trampled, initiative annihilated, and economic decay becomes institutionalized. If you do not believe it, just look around.

Burlington is all the proof you need.

HPJ

11:31:51 - SPIKE - No comments

Behind The Scenes On South Main




11:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Evaluating a Source


Spike,

"Nothing comes before the party. Not your children, your home, your husband, nothing. You understand, nothing."

No doubt the Court House crowd is upset with your recent massage missives. Their paranoia must be peaked as they try to figure out how you found out.

"You know that anything can happen when the party gets jumpy about a comrade's loyalty."

The local single party is probably poised to conduct a purge. I hope your source is safe.

HWP

11:05:00 - SPIKE - No comments

The Ink is Fading


Spike,

The Ad Vertiser reports B Dalton is pulling their book store from our area. It is a trend that will continue.

The cause of B Dalton's departure is more than just declining local educational levels. Web order giants like Amazon have made it easy to choose from a far larger selection and have paper mailed to the customer. That too is passing.

Like the clay tablet before it, paper is becoming obsolete. Visual characters offered electronically are becoming dominant. Paper will never totally go away, but it will see for far fewer applications.

It is too sad to see B Dalton go away. When the Ad Vertiser goes away, will anybody grieve?

B. Noble

Only Publisher Steve Delaney will grieve.

Spike

10:50:00 - SPIKE - No comments

17 October

Obama's Drive By Compassion For New Orleans


Washington Post Editorial Hammers Obama

"President Obama's brief display of drive-by compassion Thursday in New Orleans was, for me, by far the worst outing of his presidency thus far -- and the biggest disappointment.

...

..."I wish I could just write a check," Obama said. If that was his message, he should have stayed home. We now know that our government can make hundreds of billions of dollars available to irresponsible Wall Street institutions within a matter of days, if necessary. We can open up the floodgates of credit to too-big-to-fail banks at the stroke of a pen. But when it comes to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, well, these things take time."

04:47:00 - SPIKE - No comments

16 October

Dragon Lady Anita Dunn - Obama's Communications Director





14:43:57 - SPIKE - No comments

Thugs and Bullies Theory Proven


Local "Inadequacy"

Spike,

"It’s the combination of having a high-power role and fearing that one is not up to the task that causes power holders to lash out. And our data suggest it’s ultimately about self-worth,” the expert added."

Based on this study, is it possible that some of our elected are aware of their deficiencies?

QBN

It sure as hell explains a lot of 'em - Worden, Heland, Junior Murray, Edwards, Davidson and what about Tim Scott - the Granddaddy of Lashing Out when you're overwhelmed.

The study doesn't provide any reasons the taxpayers should condone their behavior, though.

Spike

10:56:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Look Out Below - Worden's Tort Law Interpretation


Spike,

""The measures we have taken should free us of any liability. If people want to ignore the warnings, they do so at their own risk," City Manager Doug Worden said."

"Cascade Road, a private roadway underneath the bridge, remains open."

Cascade bridge is so unstable, it could collapse under the strain of non-motorized traffic. As long as nobody riding a bicycle crosses over the bridge, there is no danger to those beneath.

Brilliant beyond "without merit."

As taxpayers, we better hope the law of gravity does not cause a court test of City Manager Worden's interpretation of tort law.

S. I. Newton

10:55:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Examining the Evidence - CSI Not Required


Spike,

"During the KCPS Big Show on Wednesday Jeff Heland admitted to having "half a physical" at the court house during a health fair."

Did they discover half a brain?

Ben Casey

10:50:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Copeland Crying Over Self-Made Mess


Spike:

I failed to see where anyone called Copeland a “Crack whore” or a “pimp.” Maybe she actually read that it in the Hawk Eye since it wasn’t on your blog, as she said it was in her Hawk Eye article. Did the local party approve her statements prior to the Hawk Eye printing them?

Whatever, everyone knows how overworked the people are down at the court house. I imagine Heland needs a rub down after walking all that bulk up the stairs to his part time office but with his full time free benefits he could well afford to go to the doctor on us taxpayers, if need be.

Yea, life is real tough down at the court house.

Amazed

One writer suggested Copeland find another court house in Iowa that offers massages.

Good idea in these times of financial crisis.

Spike

10:48:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Warning: A Kennedy Congress Maybe Hazardous to Your Health


Kennedy Institute More Important Than Our Troops

Spike,

"Senators diverted $2.6 billion in funds in a defense spending bill to pet projects largely at the expense of accounts that pay for fuel, ammunition and training for U.S. troops, including those fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to an analysis

... including $20 million to launch an educational institute named after the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy."

This is not negligent political expediency. This is criminal. It should come as no surprise.

This is the same bunch railroading a health care bill through before we the effected get a chance to examine and respond. They are doing their best so that what we don't know won't kill their careers.

Be it running out of bullets in fire fight, or hospital beds, these people are more than just a health hazard.

AY

The same TED KENNEDY: "I SLEPT WITH OVER A THOUSAND WOMEN!!" ?

Sounds like something Large Mouth Ass Heland would genuflect and then vote for.

I guess the garbage is buried.

Spike

10:47:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Bond of Brothers


Spike,

"The president of a national labor union was arrested Tuesday for allegedly taking $20,000 in bribes from a St. Louis lawyer, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Edward W. Rodzwicz, president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, was supposed to kick the lawyer off a list of lawyers who are recommended to union members for use in dealing with work-related injuries."

If the City of Burlington had accepted offers of union assistance when suing the railroad, do you think it would have made any difference in the judgment?

HB

That offer of assistance was as worthless as the drunk ex-mayor that suggested it. But look what happened. The snake they were feeding turned around and bit them, just like Scott Power.

Spike

10:15:00 - SPIKE - No comments

15 October

Heland Gets "Half Physical" At Court House


Spike,

During the KCPS Big Show on Wednesday Jeff Heland admitted to having "half a physical" at the court house during a health fair.

With all this discussion of massages being given at the court house maybe the taxpayers can be invited to participate in the next health fair since I haven't been able to afford to go to the doctor.

Were these physicals given to court house employees on their own time or on taxpayer time?

Whatever occurred Heland had no problems with the arrangement - the taxpayers paid for it.

Surprising, huh?

BM

04:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Court House Outrage


Spike:

I’d sure like to see who’s breaking their backs down at the court house, what a frigging joke!

Like I’ve said before people like Copeland have been reelected so many times they begin to think the taxpayer’s owe them something and that their longevity on the job makes them irreplaceable and ever so important.

Most county personnel are grossly over paid as are most government employees and it’s been proven here in Iowa their paid at least 40% more than a private sector employee for doing the same job.

So, come on Ms. Copeland do your bull s-ing someplace else because no one that pays taxes believes government employees at the court house are “breaking their backs” as you claim. Most of you are a burden to the taxpayer with your excessive salaries and benefits. I didn’t hear one complaint from the court house when everyone got a raise with many getting a bonus all based on nothing more than longevity and none of it based on responsibility, accountability or achievement. The private sector was robbed in order to support unwarranted raises for county employees.

If you can’t take the pressure of the job retire and give someone else the “rough” job you’ve had for so long. Your part time bosses are also a big part of the problem down at the court house because they provide very little in the way of leadership and honesty in government while drawing full time salaries and benefits for part time (I use that term lightly) work.

Unbelieving

Carol Copeland has forgotten who pays the light bills around there. And really doesn't care.

Spike

04:05:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Copeland Hogging Credit For Rub Down


Spike,

"The only thing missing out front of the court house were the crack whores and pimps."

When it comes to government buildings around here, the undesirables are not on the outside looking in. They are on the inside looking out. It is one of those things the Ad Vertiser will never tell you."

I checked back and found this. Did I miss a posting where Ms. Copeland was specifically described as a crack whore?

The plural of undesirable was used above, not crack whore. If Ms. Copeland wants to take all the credit for every dumb decision made in local government buildings, it is not fair.

There are others who have wasted millions of taxpayers dollars at the Court House and City Hall. Ms. Copeland's incident of poor judgment is penny candy by comparison.

Ms. Copeland should say bad idea, no longer in effect and nothing more. Her side show is only extending cover to those who really deserve the credit.

AQ

04:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Lack of Ergonomic Training Created Massage Parlor


Spike,

Carol Copeland is mad. Mad that the taxpayers question her judgment.

We not only question her judgment for running a massage parlor in the court house we deplore her use of the taxpayer funded email system among other items like heat and lights to further her massage perks.

Like your reader said yesterday, if Copeland was doing her job she would be training her employees so they didn't have an "aching back." Next thing will be a lawsuit claiming an unsafe work environment.

Fed Up

03:55:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Barney Get Your Bullet


Spike,

I was at Lowes Tuesday at about 12:30 when I witnessed Burlington, West Burlington, Des Moines County Sheriffs and an unmarked cruiser surround a black pickup with guns drawn. The occupants were removed from the truck, cuffed and laid on the pavement. After about 10 minutes they were released, everyone got back in their vehicles and drove away.

Any idea what happened?

GH

New policy for massage therapy no-shows last Wednesday.

Spike

03:30:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Promise vs. No Performance






03:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

14 October

Copeland Doesn't Give A Damn


Spike,

Like I wrote last week, Carol Copeland doesn't give a damn about the court house employees that can't afford a $15 back massage. She's does whatever she wants and hope the newspaper and Derailed don't find out about it.

She needs to hear that from the rest of court house employees that are scrimping to be get by raising a family.

XX

11:53:01 - SPIKE - No comments

Massage Parlor "None of Your Damn Business"


Spike,

County Auditor Carol Copeland said it was none of our business she was sponsoring a massage parlor at the court house.

Well, she's wrong. Anytime I pay taxes to sponsor a public place for a private party to conduct business, it's my business. This type of activity doesn't belong in the court house.

The claim that employees are breaking their backs doesn't garner any sympathy from me either. All those employees just got a fat raise. If they have back problems from lingering over a computer then their bosses aren't providing the proper ergonomic training to prevent a back ache.

But what is most disturbing is that Copeland claims she told 2 supervisors - Heland & Cahill - that she was going to do this. Neither one of them remembered that alleged conversation. And neither did Beck.

So we are faced with a dilemma.

All 3 supervisors are lying to let Copeland take the fall.

One or more supervisors are lying to cover their butts.

Or Copeland is reconstructing history with facts not in evidence.

Whatever it is, it needs to stop and whomever needs to take the responsibility.

And don't do it again. Not on my dime.

You want a massage, go get one. But not at the court house.

LW

04:45:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Jimmy Olson - Undercover Investigation


Spike,

"During a week long inquiry by The Hawk Eye, it was determined that a Burlington massage therapist was approached by Des Moines County Auditor Carol Copeland to provide services for interested county employees."

Brilliant investigative journalism in Burlington. I wonder how the Ad Vertiser ever got wind this was going on?

HG

When you're black socks aren't under the sheets it is difficult to claim you were there.

Spike

04:25:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Our Town's Cascading Decay


Spike,

Cascade bridge is now not even safe to walk across. Pedestrians dodging debris falling from the ruins of downtown gets less attention. Why?

Is concern for the safety of pedestrians the issue? Will closing the bridge to foot traffic make it more likely to get "free" money from the feds? Doubting the wisdom of the Ron Knoke is understandable.

If Cascade bridge stands to collapse under those walking across it, what about those driving under it? Is the road to Cascade Landing now closed as well?

There has been a total collapse of proper priorities by Burlington's City Council. Interest free loans to a casino, vacant lot retailing, and other follies have been more important than budgeting for aging infrastructure.

Election results need to rain down on the heads of those responsible for the mess Burlington has become.

Gertie Galloping

Can you believe anything out of the city council's mouth? Or the city staff? Hand wringing old men looking for redemption during election year.

Spike



04:22:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Further Cascade Bridge Paranoia


Spike,

Better than photographing a car under the bridge of doom, kids on bikes, kids hanging off the rusted girders, the Green Temple of Doom luring the innocents into its rusty clutches.

OH... NO!! For the children.

Loonsack will get promise the money right away as an aid to our educating our children. They can't go to school if they are dead. Top Gun Tommy Harkin will pose for his friends at the Ad Vertiser wearing a hard hat with check in hand.

There is no way the dumb asses can seal off the hollow under that bridge from kids and others. Got Dynamite? Better hurry. Winter is coming.

Don't ruin duck season.

GW

04:20:00 - SPIKE - No comments

A Small Price to Pay for Making Them Go Away


Spike,

"Maybe either Edwards or his relatives could email us for an update. And tell us where he is stowing his six-shooter now."

Senator King, the Drunk ex-Mayor, Little Timmy, you made them all go away. In some respects, they are deeply missed.

Either openly, or behind your back, the incompetents would try having the authorities shut you down. Their friends and relatives would send you amusingly illogical appeals on their behalf. Thank you for sharing even their most threatening.

Who could ever forget Pugsley Edwards Christmas greetings. Pugsley's dysfunctional yule tide yowlings were funnier than watching Munsters reruns. How we miss those Ho Ho Hos from beyond the surreal.

Nostalgia is not simply forgetting the bad over time. Some terrors make a life time impression. Auld lang syne comes to mind every time I pay my taxes.

Thank you, Spike.

GCP

A few more need to leave the building.

Spike

04:15:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Justine Not Receiving Equal Justice


Spike:

On Sunday morning at 2:30 a.m. in the area of South Street and Madison Avenue. Justine Grant, 18, 522 Dunham Street was stopped and charged with first offense drunken driving.

I do hope that young Justine gets the same break Eric Bell got and has his charge reduced to public intoxication. I don’t know if Justine knocked down a utility pole or plowed through someone else’s yard as Eric Bell did but must have done something much more serious to be charged for DUI.

What was it Justine did to warrant a DUI that Eric Bell didn’t? Are both of these people being charged under the same set of laws or are there two standards the Burlington Police Department operates under? Why is one charged with DUI and the other public intoxication?

The citizens of Burlington should be very upset about the two sets of rules this city operates under; one for the average citizen and the other for city employees and their dependents.

Young Justine should get an out of town lawyer and base the case on that of Eric Bell. Maybe she should go to the ACLU and tell them how the law works in Burlington. Good luck Justine and I hope you get the same treatment as Eric did.

Disgusted

03:15:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Pack Up Your Troubles on an Old School Bus


Spike,

"Tony Ray was talking with a police officer outside the Forest Park Community Center in Joliet a couple of weeks ago when the two men suddenly heard the crack of gunshots."

Have you heard if the Southeast Iowa Regional Regional Planning Commission is getting their proposed Taj Mahal of bureaucracy? With all that extra space, we maybe able to render greater assistance to the terrorized citizens of Joliet.

Smile, smile, smile, as things get less quiet on the western front.

P. Perks

02:53:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Six Degrees of President Obama


Beck installs direct line for White House to comment on "Fox lies." If it's wrong, prove it!

"They won't call. They're right and we aren't smart enough to understand."








01:36:00 - SPIKE - No comments

13 October

A Pair of Dripping Faucets - Courtney & Fraise


Spike,

"Whatever happens on the Mississippi is going to happen on the Mississippi. There isn't much we can do about it. But if someone builds a new shopping mall in Des Moines, that has a direct effect on the water runoff that runs down into Louisa County," Courtney said.

If somebody builds a new shopping mall in Des Moines, the run off goes down the Des Moines river in Senator Fraise's District, not Louisa County. What reference geographic did Senator Courtney use to determine this fact? Was it the Ad Vertiser?

Unfortunately, voters in Southeast Iowa elected a pair of dripping faucets to the Iowa Senate. That has a direct effect on running off investors in Iowa.

PD

Courtney continually demonstrates what an idiot he truly is! I wonder what the people of Louisa County think of this nitwit?

Spike




03:24:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Why Did Our School System Charter An Airplane?


Where Did They Go?

In checking the Burlington School System claims last week I saw the following item.

JET AIR INC: ARRA SPED - LEVEL I TRAVEL OUT $1,800.00

Can anyone tell me how our school system can afford to charter an airplane and where they went? And why did they need to fly? Don't they own school system cars?

Where did you go flying?

Or, better yet, after Culver cut to the chase on the budget, why are we even discussing a new school? We don't need it and we can't afford it. The Governor said so.

No new middle school.

Spike

03:19:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Edwards Still Listening to Glenn Beck?


Spike,

Our drunk ex-mayor Mike Edwards used to brag how he would drive around Case in his golf cart every morning listening to Glenn Beck trash George Bush.

I wonder how the drunk ex-mayor and his buddy Courtney are handling the Glenn Beck thing today?

Maybe either Edwards or his relatives could email us for an update. And tell us where he is stowing his six-shooter now.

Wondering

03:15:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Obama Leads SEIU Chant After Vowing to ‘Paint the Nation Purple’






03:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

The Parisian Prostitute Flinches At Reid's Touch


Old Harry Reid touched the Parisian Prostitute (for free) on their way down the White House driveway. I wonder who drove the Cadillac back to Capitol Hill?

Spike





03:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Russell Simmons: God Will Destroy Us If We Don’t Follow Barack


Sounds like Détente to me Komrade. We're gonna have the right wing Christian nut jobs swingin' arm-in-arm with the left wing Christian nut jobs all around the Maypole singing Kum Bah Ya.

Spike

"Over at HuffPo, Russell Simmons has let go of the wheel and bounced off a guard rail. His apocalyptic melodrama sounds like the typical Hollywood cliche of a Christian right-winger. But these lefties are all about projection, so that’s to be expected."

02:49:00 - SPIKE - No comments

White House (Foolishly) Targets Fox as it goes after press critics


War Mongers In White House - Afghanistan Troops on Hold

"The White House has gone on the offensive against its critics in the press, singling out Fox News and going so far as to accuse the News Corp.-owned network of waging a "war against Barack Obama."

White House Communications Director Anita Dunn has led the charge, appearing on CNN television and conducting interviews with Time magazine and The New York Times in recent days to make her case.

The unusual White House campaign comes as President Obama faces mounting opposition to his health care reforms, growing concern over the situation in Afghanistan and a continuing general economic malaise.

The president also suffered a setback recently when his personal effort to win approval for Chicago to host the 2016 Olympics was rejected and his Nobel Peace Prize has met with more barbs than bouquets.

..."Instead of governing, the White House continues to be in campaign mode, and Fox News is the target of their attack mentality," said Michael Clemente, senior vice president for news at the Fox News Channel.

"Perhaps the energy would be better spent on the critical issues that voters are worried about," he said."

02:41:00 - SPIKE - No comments

12 October

Jobs Make Our Economy Work - Not Government


A long illustration of what is wrong with our economy. We need jobs and jobs are created with tax cuts. Tax cuts reassure business to spend. When they spend, jobs are created.

The Indiana Governor gets it. Wynne gets it. The Michigan Governor is mouthing Washington rhetoric and clueless to what drives big number job increases.

Spike



"Steve Wynn more than held his own when he appeared on Fox News' Sunday morning show with Chris Wallace.

Featured with a panel of two governors and an economist, Wynn's powerful mantra of focus on creating jobs, jobs, jobs -- not tweaking health care! -- resonated with this viewer.

Said Wynn: "The priorities of the administration should have been more directly focused on job creation from the day of the inauguration forward. That's the thing that changes America."

Wynn came across with the authority. His common sense observations made the others look weak.

It's becoming increasingly clear that the Obama Administration doesn't have much of a clue as to how to fix the economy other than to fall back to tired old liberal spending theories. Congress is even worse. Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Harry Reid don't have an idea in their collective heads unless it comes from the spend-spend-spend playbook.

You can read more here about what Steve Wynn said Sunday. He told the truth ... you'd think his own senator, Harry Reid, would listen."








12:17:00 - SPIKE - No comments

10 October

"It's a 12-day miracle! Praise Obama and pass the Hopium"


"On the First Day, tens of thousands waited hours and packed the National Mall to hear his inaugural speech. They were so cold, tired and hungry. Obama brought forth two McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwiches and five burger buns, broke them and distributed these among the people. All were nourished, with plenty of scraps left over for the starving Republicans.

The next day, Obama journeyed to the tomb of the Republican Party, which had shot itself repeatedly in the foot until it died. There in the shadowy rocks, Barack bent over the corpses of commentators Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh and breathed new life into them.

"Rise, my good friends!" cried Barack. "I give you purpose! Rise and flap your gums, call me socialist and enrich yourselves. Blame me, though George Bush started the federal bailouts. Rise and prosper!"

And they did as they were told. They had new life and plenty of money.

On the Third Day, he bid adieu to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who'd spent the night at the White House to make sure things would run smoothly. This was proper, since years ago, the Daley women found the infant Barack floating in a reed basket along the banks of the Chicago River. They nurtured the crying babe, until he was ready to transcend the politics of the past.

Obama spent the Fourth Day pondering getting a dog for daughters Sasha and Malia. Journalists were so enraptured, so turgid with glee about the dog, they forgot to ask if he'd walk Bo and scoop up his legacies with a plastic bag from the Jewel like every other American dad. And things were good.

On the Fifth Day, Gov. Blagojevich sent the president a life-size wooden puppet named Roland. Barack placed his palm on the puppet's forehead, and lo, the puppet became a United States senator. And the Democrats, with a solid majority, were amazed.

For seven more days it continued, one miracle after another. The president picked the Steelers in the Super Bowl. They won. He submitted an $885 billion stimulus plan to Congress. The money was printed. He nominated a tax cheat for secretary of the Treasury. The tax cheat was confirmed."

20:30:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Four degrees of warming 'likely'


20-Year Trends Accelerate Forecast

"In a dramatic acceleration of forecasts for global warming, UK scientists say the global average temperature could rise by 4C (7.2F) as early as 2060.

The Met Office study used projections of fossil fuel use that reflect the trend seen over the last 20 years.

....Richard Betts of the Met Office Hadley Centre described himself as "shocked" that so much warming could occur within the lifetimes of people alive today.

Dr. Betts went on to say, "Key to the Met Office calculations was the use of projections showing fossil fuel use continuing to increase as it has done for the last couple of decades. Previously we haven't looked at the impact of burning fossil fuels so intensely."

"If greenhouse gas emissions are not cut soon then we could see major climate changes within our own lifetimes," he said.

"Four degrees of warming averaged over the globe translates into even greater warming in many regions, along with major changes in rainfall."

20:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

09 October

Nothing Happened = Nobel


Obama was in office 2 weeks when the ballots were cast for the Nobel. 2 weeks.




16:20:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Catfish Bend Daylight Mugging


Burlington Police Shirk Duty & Selectively Investigate On Private Property

Spike,

The victims of the mugging are feeling better, although they cannot fix her arm because of the cancer, she also sustained bruised ribs and a dislocated shoulder.

This happened last Thursday at 2:30 in the afternoon, they were leaving by way of the back door near Yong's restaurant. Her husband went to the men's room, she was on the phone with her sister, when a man came by and tried to grab her purse.

The thief was trying to run with it, with her not letting go, he finally yanked back and she fell (he didn't get her purse). He ran out the door and other people chased him, but a car was waiting for him, he jumped in and took off.

The police were called, but said they could do nothing since the casino is privately owned, so the state is looking into it.

This couple is in their 70's! Where is the security in this place? I still don't understand why it didn't make the paper, to warn others about what can happen there.

Be careful when you go visit Pzazz Complex. It's not safe, even in broad daylight.

Thank you Spike for publishing this information.

WP

I'd recommend they hire a good lawyer from out of town.

As for the private property angle, if every arrest the Burlington Police Department has made out there is bogus because it is private property, I'd guess all the drunks and fighters would get a pass on prosecution. A good defense lawyer will see to it.

You might remember the ex-cop that runs security for Catfish Bend is Dave Walker's son and was allowed to resign (fired) for stealing from his girlfriend, Tom Courtney's daughter that was police officer's widow. Dave Walker is a board member Catfish Bend and just beat Heland in the SCC election.

I hope your friends find some peace to this.

Spike

04:45:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Feds: Food stamps swapped for Viagra, booze, porn


"DETROIT — Viagra and pornography are not staples on the government's food stamp list. But authorities said a Detroit store supplied them during a series of illegal deals. Federal prosecutors filed fraud charges this week against three people who worked at Jefferson's Liquor Palace.

.....But in some transactions, confidential informants got more than cash. The government said the store provided Viagra, painkillers, liquor, and porn videos in exchange for swiping about $2,000 off food stamp cards."
04:32:00 - SPIKE - No comments

A Scene from "Rawhide" at the Relief Office


Spike,

"The economic tsunami washing over metro Detroit swept its casualties to the doors of Cobo Center on Wednesday in the form of 35,000 people so desperate for help with mortgage and utility bills that threats were made, fights broke out and people were nearly trampled."

Your site has offered comparisons of Burlington to Detroit that are painful to even think about.

Will we the lemming sheep stampede for forms at the Des Moines County Court House like a herd of wild animals? Should massage therapy be provided to relive stress before it becomes physical distress?

Gil Favor

03:50:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Rawdeal - Lyrics Inspired By Our Local Tax & Spend Leaders



Music Click Here

Rawdeal Lyrics

Raise 'em Raise 'em Raise 'em
Raise 'em Raise 'em Raise 'em
Raise 'em Raise 'em Raise 'em
Raise 'em Raise 'em Raise 'em

Rawdeal!

Raise ‘em Raise ‘em Raise ‘em
Though Derailed's complainin',
Keep them taxes raisin' Rawdeal!
Claim you understand 'em,
Then rope a dope and strand 'em,
You'll keep living high and wide.
Through schemin’ calculatin'
Your IPERS will be waitin',
waitin' to pay ya 'til ya die

CHORUS
Move 'em left, cut 'em off
Cut 'em off, move 'em left
Move 'em left, cut 'em off Rawdeal!
Scare 'em off, run 'em out
Run 'em out, scare 'em off
Cut ‘em off, run ‘em out Rawdeal.

Raise 'em Raise 'em Raise 'em
Though the debt keeps gainin’
Keep them taxes rasin’
Rawdeal!
No need to fear rejection
Each time there's an election
The Ad Vertiser's on your side
All the things I'm gettin'
My pay it ain't a slippin'
IPERS extends beyond my ride

CHORUS
Move 'em left, cut 'em off
Cut 'em off, move 'em left
Move 'em left, cut 'em off
Rawdeal!
Scare 'em off, run 'em out
Run 'em out, scare 'em off
Move 'em left, run ‘em out Rawdeal!

Instrumental

Move 'em left, cut 'em off
Cut 'em off, move 'em left
Run 'em out, scare 'em off
Rawdeal!

Move 'em left, cut 'em off
Cut 'em off, move 'em left
Run 'em out, scare 'em off Rawdeal!

Raise 'em Raise 'em Raise 'em
Raise 'em Raise 'em Raise 'em
Raise 'em Raise 'em Raise 'em
Raise 'em Raise 'em Raise 'em

Rawdeal!

Rawdeal!


03:46:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Keeping Criminals Off Our Streets


"The only thing missing out front of the court house were the crack whores and pimps."

When it comes to government buildings around here, the undesirables are not on the outside looking in. They are on the inside looking out. It is one of those things the Ad Vertiser will never tell you.

LL

03:42:00 - SPIKE - No comments

08 October

County's Massage Parlor No Surprise For Privileged Class of Iowa


Spike:

Des Moines County voters are the biggest fools in Iowa for constantly electing self serving dimwits to run the county. Now we have massage day down at the court house.

How long has massage day been going on at the court house? Who’s involved and why, just why would anyone supposedly working down there need a massage on taxpayer time? What else goes on at the court house the public doesn’t know about?

It really appears that Des Moines County is on a par with the City of Burlington when it comes to incompetent, unprofessional, unaccountable to the taxpayer fools running our county.

Who’s in charge down at the court house? We have three supervisors being paid for full time work while only on part time work with benefits; so how come they aren’t being accountable for their charges or are they in on the massages also?

Just makes me sick to think those are the same people that got raises and probably bonus money stolen from the taxpayer who gets nothing in return but higher taxes and just plain misery.

Government as we know it in Des Moines County is out of control and it should be cleaned out with one sweep and re-staffed with people needing jobs from all over the county and any unions should be busted because they’ve run the cost of government far beyond comprehension while they themselves are now known as the “Privileged Class of Iowa.”

This whole situation just makes me sick to my stomach. To think we are being robbed through taxes to support this type of behavior by elected officials.

Vomit

05:15:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Massage Helps Pick Your Pocket Better - The Softer Touch


Spike,

Don't you get it? After your massage and you're feeling all loose and goosey, what a great time to go pick the taxpayer's pocket.

I know I've been massaged and my tax statement proves it.

CW

I guess I'm just used to Heland and Hoschek just rippin' the dough from my hands.

Spike

05:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Don't Like Massage Shoved In My Face


Spike,

Carol Copeland has been in office far too long. This latest stunt proves she has no clue what's going on or how it affects anyone other than herself.

Maybe she can afford a massage but I can't. And I don't like it shoved in my face at work that I can't.

XX

05:08:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Des Moines County Massage Parlor


Spike,

Can you get the name of the masseuse? I'd like to get a 15 minute massage at my work place for $15.

The only problem is my kids would be short on lunch money for the week.

Spend It

05:05:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Court House Redevelopment


Spike,

The only thing missing out front of the court house were the crack whores and pimps.

I don't understand any of this. What in the world have the taxpayers done to get treated like this? I'm sure it is a great perk to have someone come into the workplace and reduce the stress of being overpaid and under worked.

Regardless of how "right" we will be told this was and violated no laws, this is not what the taxpayers needed to hear. If the supervisors had any balls they never would have let this happen.

TL

Taxpayers need to vote. Vote out Jeff Heland in the next election and replace him with a candidate that doesn't play blackjack with play money.

Spike

05:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Senator Courtney Should be Thrilled


Spike,

"The decline in corporate income tax concerns REC member Richard Oshlo.

It’s expected to drop 24 percent this budget year compared to what the state actually received last budget year. And REC projections call for it to drop another 11 percent next budget year."

Senator Courtney, Governor Culver, Senator Faise and other members of the Des Moines chapter of MENSA ain't calling me certainly enjoyed themsleves.

Fiduciary responsibility based on if it feels good, do it, is coming due. No longer may they run to the bank and cover their black jack loses. There is not enough money to make book. It is getting worse.

Corporate income tax is dropping faster than sales tax revenues. Senator Courtney openly vowed he would get even with business in Iowa.

Normally, Senator Courtney delivers primarily for his real friends. It is the devious he does want anybody to know about. Think back to the Manor Mall amendment and the railroad lawsuit.

We can all take pride in our State Senator for finally delivering on a public promise.

Fielding Potters

04:55:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Glenn Beck- 'Free Press' Wants To Control Internet, Radio


Someone Worse Than Van Jones? FTC's Marxist Robert McChesney!




04:53:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Dressed to Ad Vertise


Spike,

"A Japanese company, Haruyama Trading Co., has developed a suit that it claims protects the wearer from the deadly H1N1 strain of influenza."

Will Jimmy Olson soon be dressed to avoid being killed?

The local Ad Vertiser has hyped H1N1 to hysteria. There has been a regular ring around the rosy of reporting on our impending flu doom. Ignore the horrors local elected friends of the Ad Vertiser inflict. Find a distraction.

H1N1 is reasonably seen as a serious threat. Ditto the Ad Vertiser according to more than one economic development study of Southeast Iowa.

Is there evidence this flu suit is anymore effective than filling a Salvation Army leisure suit's pockets full of posies? No matter. There is money to be made.

Has the Ad Vertiser contacted the Haruyama Trading Company? There is a terrified market waiting. Ad Vertising is all it will take to make it profitable for both parties.

KW

04:50:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Sounds Like Burlington


Spike,

"For generations, small-town rural America was the iconic face of America. Main Street. Parades. Values. The heart of the nation. The ground beneath everything else.

Not now, says my guest today. Small-town rural America is hollowing out."

"Those communities that were still relying on the mid 20th century economy factory and farming never saw anything coming back to replace it.....This vast expanse of anonymous mega farms and meth labs."

It all sounds familiar.

GH

04:47:00 - SPIKE - No comments

So Goes Its Middle - So Goes America?


Spike,

"A former longtime Chicago Tribune correspondent, Longworth is a realist who will argue individual Midwestern states, locked within borders drawn more than 200 years ago, are too small, parochial and incompetent to compete in a globalized world."

A seminar on economic development in the Midwest is on tap at Monmouth College. Will anybody from Burlington be in attendance?

If states are guilty as accused above, what about regions within Midwestern states? What about the City of Burlington?

If this session has an audience Q & A, there is a pertinent question for Burlington and Southeast Iowa. What should be done about a small, parochial, and incompetent newspaper several consultants have highlighted as a major stumbling block to development?

If anybody in attendance gets an answer, please send it to Spike. Otherwise, we will never hear of a possible solution.

If the Midwest is indeed America's bell weather, pray Burlington is not the clapper. If so, there is no need to ask for whom the bell tolls.

EH

04:45:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Reining in Tax and Spend


Spike,

* A one-year freeze on public sector pay from 2011 for all those earning more than £18,000, except members of the Armed Forces.

* A £50,000 cap on the maximum pension payments for senior civil servants

* Reducing the cost of Whitehall bureaucracy by a third, saving more than £3billion.

* The abolition of £250 baby bonds and tax credits for families earning over £50,000.

The Party of Margret Thatcher in Britain is offering tough love. Will voters buy it?

BN

04:43:00 - SPIKE - No comments

How to Finance Health Care?


Spike,

"Dr. James said his bank had tripled the size of his line of credit, but that money is now all gone. Dr. James said Illinois owes his agency $900,000, about $700,000 of it past due by up to five months."

Illinois is broke. The brain trust that helped make it happen have moved onto bigger and better pastures, Washington, D. C. Our turn is coming from more than this bunch.

Iowa can not look down its nose towards the east. Years of tax and spend in Des Moines have Iowa headed down the same path. Kudos all around from the Governor's office right down to Senator Courtney and Representative Cahoon.

Get ready for another round of "contributions" to pay for it all while they promise more. Sit back and enjoy the show.

Lady Godiva
04:40:00 - SPIKE - No comments

07 October

Court House Redeveloped Into Massage Parlor


According to anonymous sources County Auditor Carol Copeland has sponsored Massage Day at the Des Moines County Court House. Early reports suggest that as early as last month the entire schedule was booked for Wednesday. The cost is rumored to be $15.00 for a 15-minute rub.

Confidential sources suggested Supervisor Chairman Jeff Heland was the first to sign up for 2 sessions.

Don't you just love it!



09:30:00 - SPIKE - No comments




05:42:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Greasy Thumbs On Mugging


Spike,

Couldn't be a cover-up. Not right before election day. Wouldn't want Scott and Davidson to explain their position of being under the casino's thumb.

Nor the Ad Vertiser to explain the same.

HPJ

04:20:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Hawk Eye No Watch Dog - More Like Your Aunt's Poodle


Spike:

Did the mugging at Catfish Bend appear in the For the Record section of the local fish wrap?

Maybe the paper rolled over to protect Winegard’s business by not reporting it via a story line as they did the Eric Bell's drunk driving affair where Eric was charged with simple public intoxication when he knocked down a utility pole drove through a person’s yard and ran from the scene and then got caught several blocks away.

Forget the drunk driving charge thanks to the police playing favorites and those that are supposedly leaders ignoring the breaking of the law in order to protect the loser child of a police officer who just a couple of weeks later was involved in another violation involving alcohol and driving. I wonder who is insuring this habitual under age violator who sooner or later is going to cost them a bunch of money when he causes harm to some innocent driver or pedestrian.

Where’s the Hawk Eye when these stories occur? What good is a paper that totally ignores stories of law breaking and deceit? The Hawk Eye should be run out of town for failure to promote honesty in government.

If it weren’t for Derailed the citizens of Burlington would have little knowledge of the misdeeds of local officials.

GH

Didn't you hear? Publisher Steve Delaney told us on Saturday his daily Ad Vertiser is the citizens' Watchdog. Just like your Aunt's poodle that runs around trying to climb the chair leg. If you know what I mean.

Spike

04:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Say “Goodbye” to the Dollar


Before you jump into this give this tidbit some consideration. The video clip is unavailable. The station originally airing the show is CNBC, a GE company. GE has taken an unprecedented corporate stance on supporting Obama and GE's CEO, Jeffrey Immelt is a White House adviser and Obamagate member.

This clip supported the theory of the devalued dollar and supports Ditch-The-Dollar as the only currency used in trading oil among its woes.

The article remains. The video is long gone from CNBC/NBC/GE's cyberspace. The monetization of our debt is a developing toxic story.

The story -

"Nothing is more frustrating to most Americans than finding out after-the-fact that they were duped into something or that decisions were made that affect their lives and can’t be reversed without a civil war. So before we are fully lulled into a sense of complete complacency, let’s consider the following:

* According to most analysts, the United States has at least $60 Trillion in unfunded liabilities. Said another way, if we keep our word and fulfill our promises, we will have to come up with $60 Trillion somewhere, somehow, to meet those obligations. If we don’t come up with that amount, someone will have to allow us to renege on our promise to pay.

* “There is no feasible combination of growth and taxes that can fund that liability” – Jim Rickards – CNBC. That is worth repeating, THERE IS NO FEASIBLE COMBINATION OF GROWTH AND TAXES THAT CAN FUND THAT LIABILITY. In other words, we could tax our way into oblivion and we still couldn’t cover half of our promises.

* The dollar is the lynchpin in our national security. If the dollar is no longer the global currency or standard, we can no longer fund a war or come up with cash needed during a catastrophe. We are at the mercy of other countries and another currency during times of trouble.

So where does that put us now? It appears that the Federal Reserve has a job to do and they may have to devalue the dollar to accomplish that job. Why? Because we are up to our eyeballs in debt to foreign countries and the balance of trade is out of whack. We are buying much more from other countries than they are buying from us. The only way to resolve this is to make our products cheaper and cheapening the cost by devaluing the dollar is one way to do this."


04:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Vacant of Thought - Eager To Jump


Spike,

"The city likely will have to borrow to pay for estimated $3.5 million to $6 million cost to replace the South Main Street bridge."

Wow, we could have had a new bridge! Instead, we have a vacant lot. That's what you get when elect those with a vacancy between the ears onto the City Council.

The debt retirement plan on this infrastructure too long ignored is now a banner being waved by City Hall. Figure the interest we are paying on stupidity at the Manor Mall. It does end there, nor did it begin there.

Downtown Burlington has been an ongoing City redevelopment project for nearly 40 years. Behold the vacant store fronts. Beware of City Council candidates with grand plans to revitalize that decaying district with your tax dollars.

One question haunts Burlington. Why is that those who fail to learn from History keep electing retarded, revisionist, redevelopment "experts?"

FLW

03:15:00 - SPIKE - No comments

The Standard by Which We Are Judged


Spike,

The United Nations meanwhile on Tuesday called for a new global reserve currency to end dollar supremacy, which has allowed the United States the "privilege" of building a huge trade deficit.

Gold is at an all time high. The world wants nothing more to do with the dollar.

Socialism by credit card is no cause for alarm. So what if the price of gasoline more than doubles for Americans on the new exchange medium. Keep living beyond our means if it buys votes with give aways and by enacting rules that destroy our economic competitiveness.

Liberal leaders have dug us into the hole deeper in less than a year than all previous years of our "democracy." As a liberal congressman explained decades ago, "It's all just money we ourselves."

Supervisor Heland and Senator Courtney couldn't have said it better.

I. N. Arrears

03:08:00 - SPIKE - No comments

06 October

Mugging At Catfish Bend?


Spike,

My mother informed me this weekend that a couple whom are both in their 70's were leaving the casino a few weeks ago, when the lady got mugged. She was thrown to the ground and broke her arm, another lady tried to help and was knocked down also. Her husband has a very bad heart condition, both were taken to the hospital. She has bone cancer and they cannot fix the break because of it. They thought her husband was having a heart attack so they put him under observation.

As far as anyone knows the lady is still in the hospital. Has anyone seen anything about this in the newspaper or on the radio? Have you or anyone else heard about this?

GH

Must have been somewhere else. The crime rate in Burlington is low, the police chief said so.

Couldn't be a cover-up. Not right before election day. Wouldn't want Scott and Davidson to explain their position of being under the casino's thumb.

Spike

03:45:00 - SPIKE - No comments

The Gathering Storm





03:35:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Why The Ad Vertiser Is Fringe Media



I guess Sunday Editor Bergin was lost in his neurosis over Swine Flu.






03:30:00 - SPIKE - No comments

ACORN embezzlement was $5 million, La. attorney general says


"Louisiana's attorney general has broadened the scope of an investigation of ACORN to include a possible embezzlement of $5 million a decade ago within the community organization, five times more than previously reported.

ACORN Chief Executive Officer Bertha Lewis said the new reported amount is "completely false."

Attorney General Buddy Caldwell has been conducting an investigation of ACORN since June. He issued subpoenas in August seeking documents related to former ACORN International President Wade Rathke and his brother Dale Rathke, who kept the group's books. Those subpoenas were focused on possible ACORN violations for non-payment of employee withholding taxes, obstructing justice and violating the Employee Retirement Security Act. No charges have been made."

03:25:00 - SPIKE - No comments

BET Founder Mocks Candidate in VA Gubernatorial Race’s Stutter


"The other people I talk to, especially his op-op-op-o-opponent, di-di-did this all through my interview with him," co-founder of the Black Entertainment Television Sheila Johnson said."

Sheila Johnson is the same Sheila Johnson that gave Senator Tom Courtney campaign money.




03:20:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Cokie Roberts on Roman Polanski: ‘Just Take Him Out and Shoot Him’


Finally, someone with some common sense.




03:15:00 - SPIKE - No comments

‘Stealthy Agenda’: Obama Ally Reveals Mission for Radical Change






03:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

A World of Debt


Spike,

"The Bank, whose job it is to support low-income countries, has had to hand out so much cash in the wake of the financial crisis that it faces a shortfall in what it can spare for new projects within 12 months."

This is no big deal. Just make more wooden nickles. America is doing its part.

If your calculator does scientific notation, do math and figure out 9 $trillion in nickles. Double that figure to cover the next two years.

We may need to cut down the redwoods just to save California. How many trees will it take from Crapo Park to pay for a new Cascade Bridge?

SM

02:40:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Waiting for Good News


Spike,

"Conde Nast CEO Charles Townsend said Monday he was shutting down four magazines, including the awarding winning Gourmet, parenthood title Cookie and two of the company’s bridal magazines, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride.

It was the biggest one-day bloodbath in the publishing company’s 100-year history. Hundreds of people will be tossed out of work."

How long until the publisher of the Ad Vertiser follows suit?

Patience Wanes

02:20:00 - SPIKE - No comments

05 October

The Open Record of "Non Information" in Ad Vertising


Spike,

"At one point in the open meeting discussion, a law maker in the audience pointed a finger at the news media as an impediment to greater access and more openness."

In an unsigned editorial of pompous self aggrandizement, the Ad Vertiser failed to name the commenting law maker. It should have been State Senator Tom Courtney. The odds of that are nil.

Senator Courtney was at the should not have been secret meeting to sue the railroad. How many people other than those reading here are aware of Senator Courtney's hand in that disaster? Why was the Ad Vertiser not immediately on this subterfuge?

The Ad Vertiser waited to whine until the statute on record retention no longer applied. When all records of the should not have been secret meeting disappeared, what happened. A few brave words from the Ad Vertiser and nothing more.

Whatever happened to all of the should have been public information on the Drunk ex-Mayor's non breakfast in the BK parking lot? The Ad Vertiser never broke that story. The Ad Vertiser rolled over when the Police Department withheld records.

"For too many times, public officials have shown contempt for the people they serve and have attempted to deflect that contempt by blaming the news media for reporting on it."

Where has the public been when supporting a newspaper that is complicit with those in public office by not reporting on it? Has anybody told a merchant to keep their goods and services because they support what has gone on by advertising in the Ad Vertiser?

Were it not for the new media, none of us would be aware of what has happened and continues to happen. This has not escaped the conspirators against the public having open access to information.

Senator Courtney introduced legislation to out any who call at this site. The Ad Vertiser assigned a reporter to investigate Spike, but they never do City Hall. Keep those unsigned editorials coming.

If Senator Courtney seeks another term, you can bet he will receive an unsigned editorial of endorsement from the Ad Vertiser. That would not be news, but simply routine.

We will remain in the dark until enough become angry enough to demand correction. If the circulation and ad revenues go down and the votes are no longer there, you may obtain open access to what has been going on.

"Our Opinion"

After I read this I thought I had Swine Flu, made me puke like my Cousin Eddie's dog Snot.

When a lyin', scheming, muck-raking, private company of provocateurs, hiding in the shadows of a fringe media local shopper starts spouting this kind of rhetoric we all better get indoors and watch the sky for hellfire and lightning bolts.

After all, three major international consulting firms can't all be wrong. The Ad Vertiser is the root cause of evil in Southeast Iowa.

Spike


03:15:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Cutting Weeds - Scott, Davidson, Baker


Spike,

We must narrow the field for City Council. Former public employees and incumbents of demonstrated incompetence and sheer idiocy are already on my sickle bar.

Who would be cut from the field?

Cyrus McCormick

Cut Tim Scott. His belligerence has grown offensive and it demonstrates his immaturity to admit being wrong. Besides, his campaign promises were never addressed and his ability to handle Worden, Slagle and Ell to forge a lateral sewer program illustrate his inability to command any respect. He should lose the nicotine gum and get his house in order before he decides our fate.

Mary Baker has grown too old to play the game of Worden.

Davidson has sucked the Kool Aid far too long and has been a big disappointment with his high school business ideas thrown to the wind for his self-righteous role as a domineering twerp after he launched his campaign on the city cashing in on the water park.

Everyone else is good to go as you choose.

Spike

03:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Rethinking Theme Park Gambling?


Spike,

"It's the theme-park dilemma," says Robert LaFleur, an analyst for Susquehanna Financial Group. "You've got to build a new roller coaster. Everyone likes to go but you need a reason to keep them going back."

So say the experts about Las Vegas. Where does that leave a debt ridden swimming pool in a largely unknown small town?

JTG

03:10:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Barack-in-the-Box Sales Kaput


Dip in President Barack Obama T-shirt sales mirrors his decline in approval

They cashed out retirement funds to build their business during the 2008 presidential campaign. Now they have 3,000 jack-in-the-boxes with smiling Barack Obama puppets inside -- all sitting in a California warehouse, waiting to be sprung open for $29.95 apiece.

For Barack-in-the-Box creator Heather Courtney and her husband, David Manzo, the Obamamania that drove sales so fast they could barely keep up during the inauguration is over. Sales have slowed to a "sporadic drizzle," the 36-year-old artist said, in part because the president's just not as popular.

"The sort of rock-star-making-history thing had its peak," Courtney said. "It seemed like people said, 'That's all done now."

02:37:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Even Obama Chia Is A Bust


But Obama Waffles Are Great

"Chia Pet creator, Joseph Pedott, thought his special edition Chia Obama bust, which sprouts grass-like hair, was a terrific tribute to the 44th President, Barack Obama. Initially, company executives at Walgreens agreed . . . and then waffled on their Obama ChiaObama figurine order."



If you need a Christmas gift for your favorite Democrat, Order Here for $19.95.

For your Obama Waffles, Click Here. Same size box, they just cost more.




02:30:00 - SPIKE - No comments

03 October

Rahm Emanuel: Olympic critics get good seats


The Ego Has Landed


"Rahm Emanuel, the Chicagoan who is chief of staff for Obama, has an answer: "You know, we'll make sure they get some good seats once Chicago does host the games.”

I guess that’s where things went to hell. Rahm didn’t use the Equality Equation


Obama + Michelle x Oprah = Zero to the World of Influence Peddling


14:03:12 - SPIKE - No comments

02 October

Joe Friday Calls It Right


Euro Gutter Trash Belongs In Prison




12:20:44 - SPIKE - No comments

Arms and Their Plan



Spike,

Henshaw said two men were largely responsible for subduing the would-be bank robber. One, a customer, happened to have a concealed-weapon permit. He went to his vehicle, retrieved his weapon and had Johnson at gunpoint while waiting for law enforcement, Henshaw said.

How fortunate. An honest citizen was armed and there before law enforcement. What is ironic is Des Moines County is not at all friendly to issuing concealed-weapon permits to honest citizens.

While this policy may earn accolades on the Ad Vertiser's page of unsigned editorials, is it a wise policy?

Crime grows as our local single party political system encourages emigration from crime ridden metropolitan bastions of similar single party power. It is one way to deliver their quota of votes to Des Moines.

How many of our ever increasing number of violent criminals file for a concealed-weapon permit? If this is how we must "Grow Greater Burlington," should we not at least be able to defend ourselves?

JEH

02:45:00 - SPIKE - No comments

"Free" Healthcare for Illegal Aliens


Spike,

If you cannot prove they are illegal aliens, how can you say tax funded health care is going to illegal aliens?

Are you trying to say our President lied?

ML

02:40:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Brilliant Criminal Minds of Burlington


Spike,

Is what happened on Sunnyside Avenue anyway to rob a bank? John Dillinger must be laughing in hell after reading the Advertiser.

Luckily, nobody was seriously hurt, or worse. At least the "suspect" did not get far. Annie, get your gun.

We may not suffer such embarrassment in the future.

Local political and economic leaders are doing their best to import a more competent class of criminals.

CB

02:31:00 - SPIKE - No comments

For the Children



Spike,

In her speech in Copenhagen today, First Lady Michelle Obama said her trip to Denmark, along with the travel of her "dear friend" and "chit-chat buddy" Oprah Winfrey, as well as tomorrow's visit by President Obama, is a "sacrifice" on behalf of the children of Chicago and the United States.

This just should just make you feel so warm and fuzzy. Little Richy Daley will be so happy. Bread and circuses coming to Chicago would take people's mind off the fact that the cupboard is bare.

Infrastructure crumbles. Public employees keep getting raises, but there is no money to pay them. Sell off any all assets to meet the next due date. All those people coming to that toddlin' on bankrupt town will just add to the demands.

When Little Richy turns Chicago's pockets inside out, who will pay for spectacle?

Lay off the police and fire departments. All hell will break loose. Watch the flames and mayhem on the tube. The state media will say it is due to economic inequality inherent in capitalism. The State of Illinois is broke. Obama and his Washington buddies will print more debt and cover it all.

Chicago is not an isolated example. Think Wrecked Plex, quiet downtown crossings, Vision Iowa, etc. etc. Remember, it is all for the children.

In another generation our children will be pulling wealthy Chinese tourists around in rickshaws. Our debtors will view the ruined splendor of what was once the world's wealthiest nation.

How will our children remember us?

A Village Taxpayer



02:27:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Their Man in D. C.


Spike,

Imitation is truly the most sincere form flattery.

GH

02:18:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Hungry for a Healthy Prosperity


Spike,

"The government has trimmed public spending by fully 3.8% of GDP this year, with most cuts falling on social spending and public-sector pay. These cuts came on top of earlier ones that reduced the budget deficit from 9.2% of GDP in 2006 to just 3.4% in 2008."

Living within one's means certainly does not apply here. Pulling back from the public trough would give Heland a heart attack.

Jenny Craig

02:08:00 - SPIKE - No comments

01 October

Wellness Day


Spike,

I hear Wellness Day is almost upon us.

GW

03:00:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Obama Plays - Soldiers Die


While Obama is in Copenhagen trying to lure the Olympics into the clutches of Little Richard's criminal grasp, our troops in Afghanistan slug it short on manpower; ignoring and seemingly indifferent to his post inauguration pledge to fully support the Afghanistan war.

We realize Obama is on a very busy schedule and heads into talks with Iran's nut job dictator right after the Copenhagen trip.

I just don't want to see Obama kissing or bowing to that other little prick like he has for Little Richard.

Spike

02:57:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Obama Can't Outsource Afghanistan


"So our top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, has told CBS's "60 Minutes" that he has spoken with President Barack Obama only once since June.

This is a troubling revelation. Right now, our commander in chief is preparing to make one of the most important decisions of his presidency—whether to commit additional troops to win the war in Afghanistan. Being detached or incurious about what our commanders are experiencing makes it hard to craft a winning strategy.

....Refusing to provide all the troops and strategic support that his commanders are requesting will be to concede defeat. We'll soon know whether Mr. Obama has the judgment and the courage to win this war."

02:45:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Sweet - New Job?


Spike:

MN has a good question about the whereabouts of Mike Sweet when Sweet’s favorite organizations and people are under attack. He’s probably hiding under a rock mumbling something about GW Bush.

Mike could be in Chicago trying to help out the ACORN organization open up brothels or giving advice on other ways to mislead the public or cheat on taxes, something The Hawk Eye, Southeast Iowa’s largest “leave it out” one party fish wrap would never print.

Never fear because Mike will rise again and his pen will spew forth mountains of left wing propaganda as did his mentor Paul Joseph Goebbels; so many years ago in Germany.

Wondering

We heard that he is driving the Tyson bus part-time.

Spike

02:40:00 - SPIKE - No comments

An Illustrated Guide:


All The President’s Olympic Cronies

"Daley’s approval ratings are at a record low as he scrambles to lease everything from parking meters to airports to raise cash. Residents are still reeling over the murder of teenager Derrion Albert. But FLOTUS Michelle Obama, on her merry way to Copenhagen, is singing a happy tune: “I mean, you know, most of these Games are taking place blocks away from my house. There’s good security by my house these days. And while Chicago is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, it is — people don’t live in fear. The downtown area is completely accessible…I know Mayor Daley, and he’s going to make sure that these Games go off without a hitch because that’s the kind of mayor he is. It’s not called the ‘City That Works’ for nothing.”

It “works” for the few at the expense of the many. That is the Chicago way."



02:38:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Bank Robbery Indicative of Things To Come


Spike,

Burlington is known for the school dropout rate as number one in the state of Iowa. Now thanks to Dennis Hinkle and Brian Trapp we will probably be recognized for our bank robberies and intercity crime rate.

It's just too bad that we can't move these new workers from Chicago into Hinkle and Trapp's neighborhood.

Digusted

Prosperity brings tougher thugs and more tragic desperation to easy pickings.

Spike

02:35:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Video Reality Needed


Spike:

I think the entire loser, brain dead officials in Burlington should watch that video of those kids smashing the life out of that Chicago high school student with two by fours. Then maybe they’d have some sense of what their doing to Burlington by filling up the dilapidated houses here with people born and raised on the south side of Chicago that don't have anything to do but crime.

Burlington was doing just fine with the native criminals and importing more from Chicago isn’t exactly the best move for population growth to replace those that were taxpayers and left when the industrial base left.

Burlington has invited the wrong crowd to town and the long term effects of it are to come and it doesn’t look good from a crime or economic stand point. Of course the slum lords will make a haul but the good citizens will be strangled by the crime wave yet to come although we’ve already had a taste of it and don’t forget the huge drug problems that were already here.

The slum lords could probably rent out all the upper floors in downtown Burlington without even fixing them up because they’ll look as they do now when these people move on.

Burlington has created a massive problem and now they better be prepared for the results of their greed, egos and stupidity.

Disgusted


02:30:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Woody Allen Supports Polanski


Woody Allen has signed a petition to release Roman Polanski from a Swiss jail. I'm sure when Woody brings his neuroses and first hand experience in incestuous relationships to full pressure Polanski will stay right where he belongs - in jail.

Spike



02:11:00 - SPIKE - No comments

Spike - An Inspiration to Action


Spike,

"Publisher Steve Delaney assigned one of his minions to stalk BurlingtonDerailed.com years ago."

Did this involve an intern actually moving from their computer and utilizing shoe leather? Is this investigation still ongoing?

It's too bad investigative journalism at the Ad Vertiser is more concerned with investigation of one who does what our local "professionals" no longer do.

PW

Stifle and suppress the story. Sensationalize and photograph tragedy. But above all else, sell ads. Nothing else matters at a shopper dependent upon ad sales.

Spike



02:05:00 - SPIKE - No comments




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