After a very wet spring followed by a very dry early summer, lower Michigan has been unseasonably wet for the past month. A couple of weeks ago we got 12 inches of rain in two days and then several more inches two days later. The result has been a massive spike in mosquito populations unlike anything I have ever seen. […]

Utterly brilliant. Sgt. Angie Johnson & Sidewinders Band: Staff Sgt Angie Johnson,The nine-piece band known to the government as the 571st Air Force Band, 131st Bomb Wing, Air National Guard. The band is the Sidewinders. Singing Rolling In The Deep (original by Adele)

Whoa, that was close. Michele Bachmann has been named the winner of the Iowa straw poll, taking 4,823 votes out of nearly 17,000 cast. Ron Paul was a close runner-up, taking 4,671 votes and trailing Bachmann by less than 200 ballots. In a distant third place was former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who took 2,293 votes after investing heavily in […]

Yesterday, John Waltz, former Executive Director of Heartland Revolution, filed papers with the FEC to run against Fred Upton in Michigan’s 6th Congressional District in the 2012 election. Waltz is no stranger to running for Congress. In 2010, he ran an unsuccessful campaign in Kentucky’s 4th District where he was outspent by a 3-to-1 margin by his Republican opponent. Since […]

From the utter laugh riot Doghouse Diaries: For more stick figure hilarity, visit the Doghouse Diaries.

This quote by Wendell Berry seems to sum up the feelings of most Americans right now. I wish to testify that in my best moments I am not aware of the existence of the government. Though I respect and feel myself dignified by the principles of the Declaration and the Constitution, I do not remember a day when the thought […]

Wrong. U.S. airlines led by United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) may pocket $1.3 billion in higher fares tied to the Federal Aviation Administration’s partial shutdown as Congress deadlocks on the agency’s funding. The FAA already has been unable to collect $28.6 million a day in aviation taxes since midnight on July 22. Missed receipts may climb by $1 billion if […]

Guess who said this: “I think some of our members may have thought the default issue was a hostage you might take a chance at shooting,” he said. “Most of us didn’t think that. What we did learn is this — it’s a hostage that’s worth ransoming. And it focuses the Congress on something that must be done.” I’ll give […]

My most favoritest television pundit evah, Rachel Maddow, has signed a new, multi-year contract with MSNBC, guaranteeing that we’ll have through the 2012 presidential election. Her contract was expected to expire next year; now it will remain in effect well past that point, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which first reported the contract extension. Phil Griffin, the president of MSNBC, […]

In the category of Best State Blogs in Michigan… [Envelope please…] The winners are… Blogging for Michigan Jack Lessenberry Right Michigan I’m taking great pride in this since I am a regular contributor at BfM. Congrats to the whole fantastic crew at BfM. You’re a fine group of bloggers. A special shout-out goes to Christine, the owner and blogmistress at […]

I love this image that I nicked from the Maddow Blog: When did we become such a selfish, self-loathing, uncaring, unsharing society that the idea of paying taxes to support our enviable way of life was something to be scorned, cursed and eradicated? Massive tax breaks for the oil industry companies which are literally making more money than any other […]