Meet: Michele Bachmann – an lead brick to american (and Minnesotan) progression

Michele Bachmann is the the Republican Representative of Minnesota’s 6th congressional district representing most of the northern Twin Cities Suburbs. She obtained her seat when incumbent congressman Mark Kennedy vacated his seat and she defeated opponent Patty Wetterling. A name you may recognize as her  child was kidnapped while ridding his bike near his house in 1989. Since she has been in office she has made a fool of herself (and Minnesota politics) with her constant religious and anti-science rhetoric into any bill she authors in Washington… as well as her inane public statements.

In her early public career, she was a strong advocate of intelligent design, the “new” creationist goto phrase based on the old testament belief of six days to create the universe. She now is claiming an “A-Rod” (i never took steroids…) however in many of her more recent work it can be seen that she acts on a strong christian fundamentalism.  (against abortion, same-sex marriages anti-gambling).

Stated and voted against both an increase in the minimum wage and the economic stimulus bill stating that “we are running out of rich people”

Anti environment – This one i think is funny…. she not only became the leading avocate in congress for allowing oil exploration in the ANWR and Outer continental shelf (Alaska – where the polar bears live), but also attempted to repeal a bill which will lead to the phase-out of  incandescent bulbs for a more energy efficient fluorescent bulb. Really… who does this?… “high efficiency, f@#k it I like things the way they are! Now where did i put my silver snuff box.”  I know these high efficient bulbs contain some mercury, but so does the extra coal thats burned to power a f#@king 120 Watt bulb…

And of course there is always last years accusation that Congress is full of “anti-americans” but she also stated that Michelle Obama had “anti-American views” and was very concerned that Barack may have the same.

With less then 50 percent of votes in both of her term elections Michelle Bachmann needs to re-evaluate who and what she represents. As we were told in grade-school when going on field trips, you not only represent your self, but also the school. Right now Bachmann is representing Minnesota (and the US) like the kid who pounded on the glass at the dolphin exhibit at the zoo.

Cooking with Coolio

Anyone that grew up in the 90s has his Gangster’s Paradise CD sitting in the back of a desk drawer somewhere right next to the chris cross CD. Coolio has sense made the normal transition from vocal artist to actor, and finally to online cooking show host. The strange thing is… the end product actually looks good!

I’m still not exactly sure how to quantify “A half a dime bag of seasoning salt” into traditional cooking measurements. I’ll have to go talk to my street vender…..

Bill O’Reilly’s

A very funny narrative of Bill O’Reilly done by Jon Stewart. I enjoy when he goes after these media extremist so very much….

here is the link if the image isn’t working… http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=217706&title=Bill-O’Reilly’s-Right-to-Privacy

I’m On A Boat

If the Embedded Video doesn’t work. Click here.

The Height of Irresponsibility

I stumbled across three separate, yet jarringly interrelated, news articles from different countries: Australia, France and the United Kingdom. All three sparked thoughts regarding the relationship between free-market capitalism and democracy.

While the Australian Prime Minister is calling for a new form of social capitalism, French and British workers are protesting amidst a climate of stagnant wages, job losses and an increasing cost of living.“People had the feeling they were paying for a crisis they were not responsible for,” said a French union leader. To an extent, he is absolutely right. The taxpaying British and French people, like Americans, are paying to bailout banks – all for a supposed level of global stability?

I argue there was never global economic stability’ it was a system propped by greed and speculation. Regardless, the result is simple: Many ordinary global citizens are losing their jobs and savings because of the debacle on Wall Street and the decisions of a few.
This level of uber-capitalism has created a genuine disconnect between the mighty elites and will likely lead the western world down the road to socialism. As things get worse, people’s trust of capitalism will wane, and they will become more reliant on the government.

Unless the general economic status of America perks up, civil unrest will likely spread across – and I cannot blame likely protestors. Their savings and livelihoods are being taken and redistributed to Wall Street and poor decision making corporate elites.

Even as a solid believer in the wealth creating system of capitalism, it is very angering to see recently bailed-out executives spending like drunken sailors ($16,000 for a shower curtain or $20 billion in bonuses or Auto Exec’s taking private jets to bailout hearings?) Do these drunken sailors have no connection to the working class anymore?

I think President Obama should keep Guantanamo Bay open for the use of disposing Wall Street executives. Keep Guantanamo Jail open for these terrorists. They spend taxpayer’s money without regard of anything. I consider them as economic terrorists.

What is most concerning is the lack of humanity present. Yet, I am wondering, why aren’t the streets filled with people? In extreme cases like such, shall we not go back to the days of ‘tar and feather’ and ‘public humiliation’?

On a painfully obvious note; and like most things in life, the Onion mocked it best: Why is your company going bankrupt? “Citigroup— Bet tens of billions of dollars that people with no verifiable income could afford expensive houses, which, when you think about it, was pretty stupid.”

For the Birds

NBC banned this ad made by PETA. Im sure, like cigarette ads in past, I’m sure the reason they banned it was that the statements have not been scientifically proven. Anyways, here is the ad. Don’t expect NBC to change their minds even though, by european standards, this is a rather docile ad.

Whats all the fuss about?

Apocalypse 2009?

No, this isn’t Nates lie detector results. It is, however, seismogram data from Yellowstone National Park. Why should you care you may be asking…. Well, in the last month Yellowstone has been experiencing an unprecedented number of earthquakes. So much so that it has a lot of geologist watching. Why you may ask? Well, although earthquakes happen all over the world every day (check this site out for a list) when such a large number happen in a region, it could be a sign of something big to come. And since Yellowstone is one of a few super-volcanoes in the world, it could mean big trouble for humanity. How big? According to Wikipedia, the power of a full eruption would be nearly 3,000 times as big as mount St. Helen. Enough to blanket North America in soot and rock, knocking the West and midwest off that map (including Minnesota) and sending the world into another ice age with famine and the whole nine yards. Although these earthquakes will likely not amount to anything (geology is like meteorology… every unpredictable), it should keep you on your toes on how easily the world as we know it and human could be eradicated. But until then, enjoy this beautiful picture of one of Yellowstone hot springs. 

Barack and Michelle Do What?!?

Three year old explains star wars better then college grad

If you’ve ever talked to nate about star wars  you know he is kind of insane on the matter (if he’s still talking just keep nodding like you know what he is talking about, then point out that the sand planet is in fact the forth planet in the nebulas system). Its just sad to know that this little girl will one day be just like him. In fact, if it weren’t for the curly black hair, i would have asked if that video was not of him back in the day. Here is the video.

Rasmussen Woods

Its amazing how much you ignore in your daily life. Currently, I live in one of the most beautiful port cities in the country. Instead of admiring the sunrise over the waters of lake superior every morning, i gravel about how cold it is, the lack of whip cream on my chai tea,  how slow traffic is moving on my short trip to work etc. Of course stopping to “smell the roses” isn’t always possible, but i am now realizing that i do need to slow down and take a look around every once in a while. Otherwise, life will definitely start taking its toll.

Anyways, I wrote this post initially to tell about a local mankato photographer and sort of got sidetracked when i realized all of the subjects of this photographers photos were in rasmussen woods. Literally a few blocks from where Nate and I grew up. We were even telling storys about how the park ranger always yelled at us for riding our bikes on the trail and were thus forced to walk our bikes out of the park (or until we couldn’t see the ranger anymore). Anyways, this artist spent a year only taking photographs in the park and decided to have an auction to sell the photographs with the proceeds going to the rasmussen center. I thought the idea of micro analyzings such a small region for such a long time was interesting. And the photos prove that there are both a ton of subject matter to find in rasmussen and that the photographer is very talented. Check out the site here. A sample is provided below (im not sure how copyright works… otherwise i would post a few samples).