Media Watch

A video posted under the channel name Frank Meadows shows police being scolded for stopping a man walking along a city street. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRjUt3n7Rh0 ) The man, apparently walking to a Walmart in West Des Moines, Iowa, was flagged down by 2 police officers passing by in a marked patrol car. They were joined by another pair of officers shortly thereafter. Officers Brian Ascheman and Jacob Sutton identified themselves when asked. The other two officers, Greg Warren and Clint Ray, appeared to remain silent when asked their names. Ray is the police officer who arrested Keilon Hill for harassment on October 29, 2018 while canvassing. ( https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=Ox6qoW3sEFM ) In the video entitled "Harassed by West Des Moines police for walking" Meadows entered this description: "Walking out of hotel and instantly targeted by police. Thir attitude changed into smug condescension when I askef to talk to a superior officer. Smug, smug a

James Madison called and wants to know why people of the 21st century are having a partison debate on which of two presidents did a better job cleaning up after natural disasters when neither possessed the authority to do so. I hope it's OK that I told him he left us with a government that routinely exceeds its authority, with the consent of the least informed citizens. It's interesting to watch this debate on the quality of the federal government's post-disaster cleanup in the affected states following Hurricane Sandy. Isn't there something objectively wrong in expecting presidents to exercise authority of medieval kings? On the floor of the US House of Representatives James Madison said he could not undertake to lay his finger on that article in the Federal Constitution which granted a right of Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.  (See the Annals of Congress, House of Representatives, 3rd Congress, 1st Session, pa

Credit: Hearst Entertainment & Syndication Punishing all decent people for the sins of predators is injustice for all and an exercise in futility for those who need to be stopped. To think imposing sensitivity training on grown-ass men will prevent sexual harassment is to pretend we don't see and understand the modus-operandi of sexual predators, whom often openly devise identifiable traps for their prey. KCCI 8 News' Eric Hanson and Elizabeth Klinge interviewed Acting-Governor Kim Reynolds on its local Sunday show "Close Up." They asked her what she felt her role is with respect to sexual harassment allegations at the statehouse. On this issue I don't want to just beat up on Reynolds because she's the usual punching bag; her tactics and viewpoint are shared across ideological lines. But does anyone think sexual harassment is something decent men wouldn't understand without the state's highest elected official "setting the tone"

It’s not enough that the race to the White House is a billion-dollar industry unto itself, if business & political interests have a say (and they always do) you'll soon be inundated by a sea of unblockable voicemails aimed at leveraging cash & votes for all manner of elected office -- under purported free speech guise, no less. A political party wants to circumvent long standing telco conventions, the "do not call" list, U.S. law, spam filters, and frankly common decency, in order to foist marketing robo-call voicemails, en masse, into your phone, without it even ringing. It’s called “ringless voicemail” and this isn’t the first time it’s come up. Get this. They’re saying it’s not disruptive because there’s no ring. The tactic is of course being sought to raise money for their election campaigns and to placate business interests. Politicians have conveniently written themselves legal exceptions to rules others have to follow, and they’re suggesting the FCC c

Police say a small black handgun was displayed during a robbery Monday night. The Quick Star convenience store at 2701 Ingersoll Avenue was robbed Monday around 6:00 PM. Witnesses say a small brown vehicle was used by the perpetrator, which fled north on 28th Street. Officers patrolled the area looking for the vehicle. It's thought that a Chevrolet Cavalier that was reported stolen earlier in the day, spray painted gold could have been the suspect vehicle in the robbery. Case# 10791.

Florence, TX -- Phillip "The Battousai" Turner observes Texas State Trooper Jim Kellert speeding. The following conversation ensues. Trooper Jim Kellert (walking out of c-store, beverage in hand) Hi, how are ya? Mr. Turner, The Battousai Hi. Can I talk to you for a second? Trooper Kellert I don't have much time, to be honest, okay? I'm in a little bit of a hurry, alright? The Battousai I just need to get your name and badge number. Trooper Kellert Why's that? The Battousai Just asking for it. Trooper Kellert For what reason? The Battousai Because I saw you speeding and I was just asking. Trooper Kellert Oh, you did? Um. Really? Oh, well, that's, uh. You're on foot here and I didn't see you along the road anywhere I was driving. Are you sure you got the right vehicle? The Battousai I'm sure. Trooper Kellert Hmm. And which vehicle is yours? The Battousai What's that? Trooper Kellert What's your name, si

Last week I tried my hand at fettuccine after watching Jamie Oliver teach a class how it's done. It all looked so easy! I failed. My dough was too dry, and therefore too tough to knead properly. I also didn't own a pasta machine, so my handcrafted results were thick, rubbery noodles. Enter the Marcato Atlas 150 and another attempt at the dough and... Ah ha! Fettuccine is perfected! 100g AP flour 1 lg egg + olive oil = 60 ml + 1 T water to 74 ml Mixing this almost killed my $20, 10-year-old food processor, I managed it and it made the kneading fast & easy! Still, I'm putting the Cuisinart on my Christmas list. Now the one-minute sauce: diced tomatoes (Fareway hydroponics, even), olive oil, butter, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt & pepper, cayenne. I tossed a handful of fettuccine in boiling salted water. Then I added the oil & garlic to a hot pan. Next the diced tomatoes and seasoning by the seat of my pants. After cooking for what couldn't h