Grassroots Oppression

Kearney, Nebraska

More self-imposed oppression on the plains: Kearney, Nebraska will continue to ban concealed weapons, in spite of a new state law that takes effect next year. What can you expect from a town that wants to ban comfy porch furniture?

Kearney's ban covers guns, brass knuckles, knives and other weapons. The city is adding signs at the city's entrances to remind citizens and visitors of the ban.

I guess law-abiding gunslingers in Kearney have been carrying their shooting irons out in the open since concealed carry was banned in the 1920's. In olden days, it was considered polite for gentlemen and ladies of breeding to carry their weapons discreetly. There not having been anyone meeting that description in Kearney, it only makes sense that they would have passed a law against posing as anything but cowboys and cowgirls.
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The graphic KETV chose to illustrate this non-story shows shotgun shells. I wonder if many skeet shooters are going to start carrying their weapons concealed after the first of the year?

Tyrant on a rope

Saddam on a Rope

You all knew this was coming. I expect there will be more such videos. I don't know how long it will stay up at Google, but there are others hosting this nasty video. That look on his face as he feels the trap drop is priceless. HotAir has the 'uncut' video as well.
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I don't think it the least bit unwholesome or morbid for normal folks to feel good about seeing tyrants like Saddam Hussein or other societal scourges like pedophiles, run-of-the-mill murderers and horse thieves get what they have coming. Nobody makes us watch.

Iraq War Death Toll Increases

Saddam Hussein's death sentence has been executed. The way this process was expedited should be an inspiration to the American justice system. The inhumane delays and protracted court proceedings we now inflict upon our condemned is disgraceful.
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I note that anti-Saddam Mohammedan clerics are praying for their heathen god Allah to wreak vengeance upon Saddam in the afterlife. As in, "Oh God, we ask you to take revenge on Saddam." How often does your minister or priest or rabbi or poobah ask for God's vengeance from what passes for a pulpit at your church? Religion of peace, my patoot.

Holiday Dangers

A Christmas to Remember

I thought the Christmas holidays were unduly taxing just because I felt compelled to go to town a couple of times to buy a few traditional gifts. But for former Presidents Gerald Ford and Saddam Hussein, the holidays brought tidings from the grim reaper instead of Santa. Nobody that matters cares a whit about Saddam's neck. Think what you will about Ford, I always saw him as a real all-American cat. If he was mixed up in anything unsavory, it was as a dupe. Besides, he was born right here in Omaha.

The icy hand of death also fell on James Brown this Christmas. I'll admit that I never bought any of his recordings, but I certainly listened to my share of his stuff. Even if you didn't care for his music or thought that “bop and savage Negro music” ruined America, you must admit that the man made his presence known. As the IowaHawk points out, even the Rolling Stones didn't want to follow his act.

Merry Christmas from the Feedlot

To One and All
from the Feedlot!

Wishing for a White Christmas?

Here is what wishing for snow did for Nebraska badlands blogger Stephanie. I wonder if she got some of the big snow that seized up Interstate 80 in Nebraska?

2001 anthrax attack mystery solved

The 2001 anthrax attacks were perpetrated by US government agents wearing "moonsuits". Their bosses bade them do it to make sure the Patriot Act, which they had already drafted before 9/11, would pass in Congress. The whole point being to bring down the Republic and put all of us in the concentration camps which have already been secretly constructed.

At least that is what University of Illinois-Champaign law professor Dr. Francis A Boyle thinks happened. Why on earth would any self-respecting institution allow a nut case like this to teach law? He sounds like one of those wet brain cases gibbering away in the park. If this cat isn't an academic knuckledragger, there is no such animal.

18:22 Central Standard Time

Happy Solstice!

Previously Undiscovered Species found in Borneo

Borneo

According to this National Geographic article, 52 new species of living things have been discovered on a recent expedition to Borneo. This is all well and good, but where is the balance? These new discoveries should be used to offset some of the more idiotic decisions our governments has taken in the interest of preserving known species. We could let the snail darter and the spotted owl go into the museum-y world of extinction, build our hydro dams and harvest needed forest products. We have new species to take their place.

I don't expect any such rational conclusion to result from these happy discoveries. The folks that want to see evolution frozen as if it were fait accompli are inherently unreasonable. Or stupid.
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Slow blogging explained: the old feeder is recovering from successful home surgery on a monstrous two-headed ganglion (aka: mucous cyst) on my trigger finger. The slippery, clear knuckle-lube is now slowly oozing from the self-inflicted incision. This hurts my already dismal typing ability. I expect to return to full typing output in the next few days.

Muhammad's Early Prophecies

A one-man Culture WarEven before Muhammad got his name, he was full of prophecy. Full of something, anyhow.

Beatrice Nebraska Middle School Kids

Stuffing Stockings for Soldiers

The old feeder's Saturday morning browse of Nebraska newspapers with websites yielded this nice piece by Bill Hafer of the Beatrice Daily Sun. The middle school kids there are treating our troops in Iraq, who won't be home for Christmas, to stockings stuffed with gifts. The presents were collected by the kids, and include: "candy and gum, pencils and pens, small notebooks, decks of cards, travel games, microwave popcorn, phone cards, stamps, rolls of quarters and snack foods as well as many other small items." Thoughtful, no?

Just when you think Handbasket Earth has arrived in Hell, something shows up that isn't all bad. I just hope some ACLU busybody doesn't find out that these young cats' wonderful act of kindness and patriotism is being done under color of Christmas.

Don't Tease Barack Obama

Barack Odumbo

Presidential aspirant Barack Obama, currently in vogue with the leftist media, has ears that protrude. Now we find out he is sensitive about his good-sized flaps. after a news conference the other day, Barack called out the awful NYT columnist Maureen Dowd, a Rodhamite who dared to mention his "big ears" in one of her columns. He is quoted as warning her, saying, "I just want to put you on notice, I was teased relentlessly when I was a kid about my big ears."

I heard it on Rush Limbaugh's radio show, and read about it here in my favorite Chicago paper, the Sun-Times.

The old feeder got interested, until now not having thought about the size of Mr. Barack H. Obama's ears any more than I had about his middle name. Until Uncle Wiggily at Heartland Notebook pointed out that his middle name is Hussein. So besides looking up why Barak has a Mohammedan middle name, I checked out old pictures of Mr. Obama for ear size. What I found was disturbing.

Barack Obama can actually pull in his ears when he wants to, just like I can suck in my gut. Look at his pictures. In some photos his ears stick out almost as much a those huge megaphones on the Prince of Wales. In others, they appear to be almost pinned back. No wonder some folks think his ear wiggling act is already growing stale.
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Update: Allahpundit takes up the matter of Barack Obama's mostly ignored ear sensitivity offering a clip of the exchange at HotAir. While Allahpundit thinks Obama was only joking, the Dumbo factor takes root. For some really big photoshopped Obama orejas, see Five Reasons Why Barack Hussein Obama Should Be President at Riehl World View. These are really going to hurt his feelings.
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More Barack Obama ear insensitivity:
Paul West - Baltimore Sun - "jug ears"
Alex Locke - Bowdoin College - "McCain's chubby cheeks have nothing on Obama's big ears." and Barack has "Ross Perot's ears"
Gary Patton - Hampton Union - "His ears protrude a little. His mouth is large."
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Más: See Rush Limbaugh's Odumbo photoshop at Stuck on Stupid, plus further aurical taunting, e.g., "Barak Obama doesn't have to bend over to far to have one ear to the ground. But when it comes to campaigning he is wet behind the ears."

Laughing Craze

Haha Yoga

This isn't a joke and it isn't funny. All across the world people are getting together and laughing at - and about - things that aren't amusing just because it makes them feel good. This is what the world is coming to. People with no sense of humor apparently feel they're entitled to the benefits of laughter. It's called Laughter Yoga and I recently heard about it from one of PT's ex-wives.

I can only assume that she thought it was something that might benefit my sad hermit ass so, after getting the gist of it from their web site, I gave it a try around my relatively sound proof little house. And you know what? I think there might be something to it.

I've always given my human plumbing and electrical system credit for having an intelligence that it might not possess. I now suspect it either doesn't know or doesn't care about the difference between a real laugh and a faked forced laugh. The heart, stomach, lungs, endocrine system, none of them know wit from shit. If I'm laughing they're thinking, man we're really having fun now.

It's been credited with health and immune system advantages. We'll see, but don't look for me at one of their laughing clubs. Being a hermit is all the fun I can handle.

Feedlot Contaminated with Polonium 210

Contains Polonium 210

The Russian Spy Polonium Poisoning Incident has exposed something else the old feeder could have been worrying about. I find out my anti-static film duster has a strip of polonium right inside it. I get the replacement strips at a camera shop, but I could get them on-line. I wonder if this is where the KGB, the FSB, the Russsian mafia or the Mohammedan terrs get theirs?

Maybe I should throw it away and decontaminate the whole place.

Bill Clinton's Secret Service Bugged Princess Diana?

Still Married To Hillary

Evidently former President Bill Clinton had his eye on Di. That is what passes for news tonight. Slick Willie Clinton, pictured above officially mourning Princess Diana's gory demise in a filthy Paris tunnel, had his Secret Service agents bugging the wayward Royal Sperm Receptacle's communications.

I'm sure it was a matter of National Security. At Stop the ACLU, they are calling it another Warrantless Wiretap Program. That sounds reasonable. You don't suppose the old lecher was thinking he had a shot at her, do you?

Ain't Democracy Grand?

So what?

Michelle Malkin brightens my otherwise dull Sunday with a clever Google search relating to the recent re-election of Democrat Representative William "Cold Cash" Jefferson. Try it here.
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Search engines are a great way to pass the time. I never ride the bus.

Senior Moment #674

X-Ray Shows Nothing

The old feeder has been busy redesigning a number of web sites. Since I don't use much more than a customized text editor, NoteTab Pro, the job requires some typing and all of what is left of my attention.

I say 'what is left' because losing my eyeglasses, my TV remote and my keys has become increasingly common as I grow older. Lately it has been the cordless telephone handset. At least the phone has a button on the base station that will make the handset beep.

Yesterday I misplaced my cordless keyboard. I was trying to cook and edit HTML while watching A Very, Very Long Movie. After I covered the rice, started the second Benito DVD, I sat down to type. No keyboard. I must have taken it with me when I left the console, because it wasn't anywhere in the room. Lucky for me, the keyboard is so big it only took a few minutes to find.

Hispanic Business - Iowa, Nebraska Among Prime Destinations for Immigrants

Looking for The Good Life

Presented without comment. From Hispanic Business: Iowa, Nebraska Among Prime Destinations for Immigrants.

Another Study

Cozad's claim to fame: 100º W

Tri-City Tribune News: "A study conducted by the Nebraska Health and Human Services System (HHSS) of cancer incidence in Cozad and the area around it has found it has a similar number of cases per population as in the rest of the state and the country."

I have to wonder what it cost Nebraska taxpayers to find out Cozad isn't a cancer hot spot? The Nebraska HHSS is one giant waste of money. Folks in Nebraska ought to look after their own health and welfare. Who among us believes the State can do a better job?

John Monetti - accused child rapist gets trial date

Update: Click for the latest post on John Monetti.

Updated: Bargain Struck with Prosecutors

What do you think? Is it a fair trade-off, or is this cat getting a break? From the Washington County Pilot-Tribune & Enterprise:

The 11 counts of first degree sexual assault were amended to one count as a condition of Monetti waiving his preliminary hearing. Monetti is now charged with first degree sexual assault and intentional child abuse with no bodily harm, a class IIIa felony . The charge of sexual assault with the use of a computer was dismissed and Monetti also agreed to not request a bond review.

As a result, the 15-year old victim did not have to testify at the Thursday hearing. Monetti's lawyer had subpoenaed the girl for her testimony.

Eleven counts of child rape, and the much-vaunted internet aspect of this crime are out the window in a deal that doesn't even include a guilty plea. As far as I can tell, the only thing the state got was their wish to spare the victim an appearance at the preliminary hearing. I don't know why the PT&E calls it a plea bargain when there wasn't any plea.
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Update II: More details on the deal from the Fremont Tribune. It looks like the accused molester used his ability to require the presence of his accuser, a young girl with problems as leverage to get the charges reduced to the point where he may have a reasonable expectation of ever getting out of prison. While this may seem despicable, it is his right to do so under our current law. He gets a chance at getting back out on the street; the victim and her family aren't forced to confront Monetti and his lawyers.

With eleven child rape charges and a hanging judge handing down consecutive maximums, Monetti could have been looking an effective life sentence. He's good people, I guess. Slap his wrist, he won't do it again. Too rich for jail.

Monetti - Equestrian Coach - Accused Child Rapist

Evidently a trial date has been set, but KETV News fails to mention exactly when. Here is all they have to say:

A New York schoolteacher charged with sexually assaulting a Blair girl will stand trial in Washington County District Court.

Investigators said John Monetti struck up an Internet relationship with the teenager. They said they believe that Monetti routinely traveled from New York to Nebraska to have sex with the girl over a period of several months.

Monetti will be arraigned on charge of felony sexual assault of a child in January, prosecutors said.

Comments to some of the previous Plains Feeder posts about Mr. Monetti's trysts with an underage, autistic girl here in Nebraska indicate that the case is getting no news coverage on Long Island, where the former elementary school teacher, principal and riding coach lives. Looks like everyone expects the whole business to get swept under the rug. I hope the Washington County Prosecutors office doesn't think so.
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Previous John Monetti posts in the Plains Feeder:
October 29, 2006: Catch-up on the child rape case
August 30, 2006: John Monetti - accused child rapist - update
August 01, 2006: John Monetti back on Long Island?
July 13, 2006: John Monetti Update
June 30, 2006 : John Monetti, accused child molester, makes bail
June 14, 2006: John Monetti's Bond Set In Blair, Nebraska
June 07, 2006: John Monetti Arrested in Nebraska - Update
June 02, 2006: NY Teacher/Pedophile busted in Nebraska

Pearl Harbor Day

USS Shaw at Pearl Harbor
Honor World War II veterans: fly your flag today.

It is hard for me to believe that there are Americans who don't know what Pearl Harbor Day is all about. Like Neal Boortz, my Dad took me to see Pearl Harbor after the war. I was just a kid then, but I remember. We were living on Guam at the time, where there were plenty of reminders of the war. I used to dig up little bomb-like fleschettes to play with. There were Japanese soldiers on the island that thought the war was still on. There were beaches we couldn't use because they were still mined. I got to see the cliffs on Saipan where desperate Japanese jumped to their death rather than surrender.

The cats I grew up with all had family that fought in WWII. They didn't forget. One of my college buddies got us jammed up with the police on Pearl Harbor Day. We were drinking ourselves senseless in a tawdry $30 a month basement apartment in Ames, Iowa when it occurred to him that the Chinese foreign student and his family that lived upstairs might be Japanese. He beat on the ceiling with a broomstick until he poked a hole through the plaster. Then he stood on a chair and shouted drunken curses through the hole. The poor Chinese cat called the police. Nobody went to jail; the police were actually sympathetic to my friend's misplaced rage. The Chinese guy, once things were explained to him, joined in cursing the Japanese.

I can't advise you to assault your Japanese neighbors today. But don't let anyone forget what happened this day 65 years ago.

Guess What

Hint: stomach contents

This is the old feeder's favorite game when there isn't anything else to blog. Guess what is pictured above. I guessed it to be an illustration for an article on the use of herbs to purge red stomach worms.

Take a guess, then click the picture to see if you are correct.
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Previous feedlot guessing games:
When Omaha wore hats and ties
Multipurpose product
Jelly Roll

President Rod 'em?

From WorldNetDaily via Drudge: Dick Morris says New York Senator Hillary Clinton wants to be called 'President Rodham'.

Rod them, get it? I thought so; there is nothing funny about the prospect of President Rodham.

From Japan

Sushi au Poutine

This probably won't settle any of the arguments from the last post but maybe nobody will care. It's a picture of Japanese /French Canadian adult film actress Maria Ozawa.

Apparently she speaks English quite well and has her own blog but it's in Japanese, so sayonara Maria.

Cop a Laugh

Serious BusinessAll the other blogs have embedded video, why not the Plains Feeder? I was worried about what might happen if a golf ball were to fly through the window and hit my lava lamp, but not any more.

All your questions can be answered by the internets. Nothing is hidden. Information Utopia is come upon us like a thief in the night.

It was a real GEM

GEM Desktop

I'm not sure if everyone has had the same unsatisfying experience with Microsoft Windows over the years as myself. The constant patches and new versions. No sooner than I have the various Windows XP installations in my care as house broken as possible than Bill Gates threatens to force me to move everything to Vista. I don't feel good about it.

Windows had a birthday recently, reminding the old feeder of the awful pedigree Vista will carry. In the early days, shortsightedness and stupidity conspired with the grasping vision of hyper-geek Billy the Kid Gates to make MS-DOS and then Windows a demi-monopoly. There were other up and coming graphical user interfaces and operating systems, but they all wound up sucking hind tit to Microsoft. (Odd, but the Urban Dictionary has picked up the definitely non-urban idiom.)

The GEM Desktop was one of those runts that died while Gates suckled the fat PC market sow dry. Read the gory details of how Digital Research, creators of GEM, sometimes called the first windows, missed the boat here.

I recall being quite excited to have a gui besides DOS. It allowed you to drag and drop files and to create icons that would run batch files to launch fun applications like PC Paintbrush and WordStar. GEM ran on top of DOS, so it wasn't really an OS. But it made my efforts to run an office and publish a printed newsletter on a 286 PC seem possible.

GEM Desktop Publisher

It took hours to download a few soft fonts to my giant, overweight B&W laser printer, and more hours to print, collate, fold and staple the pages. Gutenberg probably worked faster once he got going. Publishing the newsletter for the Omaha chapter of the Women's Overseas Service League was an all-night production, but those ladies were so sweet and had such stories to tell...
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You can still download and play with GEM. Be careful, the GEM video module (VDI) can screw up some monitors.

News You Can Trust

From the Caucasian Mujahedeen News Team

Wicked Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to divert attention from his most recent poisoning spree by staging a UFO crash landing. Yes sir, If it's news you want, you can find it on the internets.

Aren't these cats the ones who brought us the Beslan massacre and the Moscow theater takeover? They sure have a slick web site. I wonder who's paying?
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I'll bet they didn't have to cheat on their journalism school exams. Their colleges use the pass/explode grading system.