The. Nanny. State.

Big Government is watching you.



But who's watching Big Government?

(h/t Kevin Ecker)

Welcome to Minnesota...

...The state where absolutely NOTHING is allowed.

The I-Phone and the Nanny State

Nanny-statist Senator Jean Francois Kerry, North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan, Mississippi's Roger Wicker, and yes, Minnesota's own Senator Amy Klobuchar think that AT&T's exclusive contract to sell the new I-Phone is somehow unnfaaair! Somehow these lame-brained senators think that free-enterprise (did I say free?) should be run like a kindergarten classroom, by making sure everyone gets equal toys. Competition, according to these mental midgets, is a baaad thiiing... because competition means someone might not do as well as somebody else, and someone might walk away feeling baaad. And for some unknown, godforsaken reason, competition is somehow bad for consumers.

So, in the interests of faaairness, and with a lack of other things of import on which to focus, these nanny-statist buffoons will take it upon themselves to convene a hearing on why it is sooo unfaaiiir that some wireless services should have so much while others have so very little, and to better understand why this is so.

Here's a clue, Senator Klobuchar: It's called CONTRACT LAW. It's called COMPETITION. Sprint saw the smoke signals that AT&T had an exclusivity deal with the I-Phone, and snatched up and pre-empted the new I-Phone release with what I believe is a superior phone, the Palm Pre. And not for the $599 price tag of the new I-Phone, but for a mere $200 semolians.

Being a Palm person myself with an AT&T contract, was I happy about it? Hell no. But that's the way the ball bounces. I know that after a while, the exclusivity on models runs out, and phones are then more widely available with a variety of carriers.

I don't need some government nannystaters to wipe away my tears, thank you.

The point is, competition is the force that ultimately provides the drive to enhance the quality and value of goods and services; while lack thereof fosters mediocrity, poor service and just not giving a damn.

Which is, when it comes down to it, what liberalism is all about.

(h/t Chris Baker)

Welcome to Minnesota...

The state where nothing is allowed.

First it was the SUV's...then it was your light bulbs..

Now the environutters are after your toilet paper:

That super-soft toilet paper you're fond of using? It's an ecological disaster, environmentalists say.

Millions of trees are harvested throughout the Americas – including rare old-growth forests in Canada – to sustain the United States’ obsession with quilted, ultra-soft, multi-ply toilet paper, the New York Times reported.

Although toilet paper manufacturers could produce products from recycled materials at a similar cost, the newspaper reported, the fiber taken from standing trees are necessary to help give the tissue its fluffy feel.

“No forest of any kind should be used to make toilet paper,” said Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, a senior scientist and waste expert with the Natural Resource Defense Council told the Times.

The United States is the largest market for toilet paper in the world, the newspaper reported, but tissue from 100 percent recycled fibers makes up less than 2 percent of sales for at-home use among conventional and premium brands.

They can have my Charmin when they pry my cold, dead hands from its 2-ply sheets. And they can have the poop that's stuck to it, as well.

Time to bring out the Nannystate Flag...

(Click on pic for full size)

Minnesota to ban smoking in cars with kids?

What's next, a knock on your door in the middle of the night from the tobacco nazis?

I don't smoke; personally, outside of an occasional fine cigar, I detest it. But this continued encroachment on our freedoms is getting to be wayyyy out of hand. First the restaurants. Now our cars. Next our homes?

Wake up, Minnesota, and wake up Republican legislators!

From the fine folks who brought you...

(click to enlarge)

Comes this heartwarming story.

That is all.

Always willing to help...

Regarding King's Post of silly bills that the Minnesota Democrats have brought forth, this one especially caught my eye:

H.F. No. 1385, as introduced - 85th Legislative Session) Posted on Feb 23, 2007

1.1A bill for an act

1.2relating to state government; creating a task force to study the design of the
1.3state flag.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 Section 1. LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON DESIGN OF STATE FLAG.
1.6 Subdivision 1. Establishment. The legislative task force on the design of the
1.7state flag consists of three members of the senate appointed by the Subcommittee on
1.8Committees of the Committee on Rules and Administration, and three members of the
1.9house of representatives appointed by the speaker.
1.10 Subd. 2. Form and style of state flag. The task force shall study the form, style,
1.11and design of the state flag and suggest any desired changes, while preserving its basic
1.12symbolism. The task force may solicit and secure the voluntary service and aid of persons
1.13who have either technical or artistic skill in flag construction and design.
1.14 Subd. 3. Report; expiration. The task force shall make its report and
1.15recommendations to the legislature by January 15, 2008. The task force expires after
1.16submitting the report.

Well, fear not, Minnesota-legislators-with-nothing-better-to-do-than-to-think-of- new-ways-to-raise-our-taxes. For I have come up with a solution that will render the money spent on the above-mentioned task force un-necessary and will serve to save the Minnesota taxpayers tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Yes, as a public service, the crack staff (or is that the staff on crack) at The Ice Palace has worked countless hours minutes to come up with a flag design that the democrat majorities in the Minnesota House and Senate would immediately adopt.

For your consideration, I hereby present The new Minnesota State Flag:

(drumroll please)

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(click for full size!)

Time to cue the music again...

First, cue the music in a new tab or window...

Now (if you dare), read this:

1.6 Section 1. [145A.18] UNIVERSAL NEWBORN VISITING PROGRAM.
1.7 Subdivision 1. Establishment. The commissioner of health shall establish a
1.8program to provide newborn visiting services to parents of newborns either at the hospital
1.9or as soon after the birth as possible. Newborn visiting services must be performed by
1.10existing service providers, whenever possible.
1.11 Subd. 2. Program components. (a) The universal newborn visiting program must
1.12provide culturally competent services and information by trained staff who reflect the
1.13demographics of the community, whenever possible.
1.14(b) The visits must include information in the following areas:
1.15(1) early childhood services;
1.16(2) local child care resource and referral network;
1.17(3) early Head Start and Head Start programs;
1.18(4) early childhood screening;
1.19(5) early childhood family education;
1.20(6) child care financial aid programs;
1.21(7) family literacy resources;
1.22(8) child abuse prevention;
1.23(9) infant care, child growth, and child development;
1.24(10) the WIC program;
2.1(11) immunization schedules and pediatric preventive care, including information on
2.2environmental hazards;
2.3(12) public health nursing services; and
2.4(13) health care programs and other public assistance programs for which the
2.5family may be eligible.
2.6(c) The program must provide any referrals, as needed, to community partners
2.7and to additional resources available within the community, including early education
2.8programs, health care services, support services, and other social services. The program
2.9must also offer follow-up visits.
2.10(d) The program must provide parents the opportunity to opt out of participating
2.11in the program.
2.12 Subd. 3. Coordination. (a) The universal newborn visiting program must
2.13coordinate with hospitals, and must not impede or obstruct the provision of medical care.
2.14(b) Service providers must coordinate with community partners, including school
2.15districts, local public health departments, early childhood family education programs,
2.16health plans, and nonprofit agencies, to minimize duplication and to build on existing
2.17services.
2.18 Subd. 4. Evaluation and accountability. The commissioner shall evaluate the
2.19effectiveness of the newborn visiting program and report to the legislature biennially
2.20beginning January 15, 2010. The evaluation must take into consideration the following:
2.21(1) parent satisfaction; and
2.22(2) number of referrals made.
2.23 Subd. 5. Training. The commissioner shall establish education and training
2.24requirements for newborn visiting staff. These requirements must include:
2.25(1) a bachelor's degree in nursing, early childhood development, or related field;
2.26(2) experience in home visiting; and
2.27(3) experience in working with families from diverse cultural communities.
2.28 Subd. 6. Distribution. The commissioner shall distribute funds to community
2.29health boards based on the average number of births in the past five years in each
2.30community health board jurisdiction multiplied by the cost of providing newborn visiting
2.31services. Community health boards shall provide the services directly or contract with
2.32new or existing home visiting service providers to provide these services.

So Rejoice, Komrades! From womb to tomb, the nannystate has you p3wned!!

h/t King Banaian

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