Guest Post by Loki

Mattel has updated their Barbie collection with a new Tattoo Barbie. The doll sports a tattoo and is the newest role model for our children.

Suspecting that they had other new version of Barbie to be released to serve as role models for children I snuck into their secret R&D facility to see if I could find out what versions would be released. After dumpster diving in the front parking lot for an hour or so and collecting blue prints and design documents I was able to reconstruct some of the dolls. What follows is the results of my surreptitious search.

Pothead Barbie
Comes complete with exact copy of her mother’s basement where Barbie has her cramped dark dingy apartment. Comes with accessories including; bong, air mattress on floor, small B&W used TV, bean bag chair and unemployment check. Rumpled hair is standard. Other accessories can be purchased including, empty chip bags, fast food restaurant uniform, diploma from small town college on ‘History of TV’ with minor on ‘Jersey Shore’.

Meth Head Barbie
Comes with glass pipe, short vinyl dress with low cut blouse and stiletto heals. Missing teeth and sores on the face are standard in the accessory makeup kit. This is the thinnest of all Barbies.

OWS Barbie
This is the latest in the Barbie foray into the political world. She comes with a flea infested sleeping bag and a protest sign with Che Guevara’s picture. Accessories sold separately include large garbage can with homemade drum sticks and a body odor spray that smells just like the unwashed at a real OWS rally. Other accessories include positive STD results and prescription drug bottles for treatment. Surprisingly the OWS Barbie bears a strong resemblance to the Pothead Barbie.

Divorcee Barbie
This is the Barbie that Mattel is hoping will be the biggest seller at Christmas. It is also the most expensive of the Barbie line. It comes standard with a divorce degree, support check, Ken’s BMW, Ken’s house, Ken’s speedboat and Ken’s motor home. Accessories include pool boy and Ken’s private plane.

Mattel hopes these new dolls will inspire girls everywhere to emulate the newest Barbies.

It’s not that the idea hasn’t been bubbling around out there, but whenever it’s been brought up in polite society, the caveats and sheepish looks abound. But since our friends over at the Havre Daily Corrector have mentioned it – well, let’s go ahead and pile-on.

You may recall that Governor Schweitzer canned the former director Jim Lynch because Lynch allowed the hiring of his daughter at the Department of Transportation violating the state’s nepotism policy…

I would have to wonder if this whole deal is one big scam to bring attention to the fact that Lynch has filed to run for Governor as a republican. Something just doesn’t smell right in the way Schweitzer and his cronies are attacking ole Lynch. Interestingly Lynch has been a life-long democrat and every political cash donation attributed to his name has been made to only democrats. So why did he file for governor as a Republican? Some would have you believe that it was because he was “mad” at the governor but I have to wonder if Lynch filed on the republican ticket at the bequest of the democrats to muck up the whole republican primary and this whole lynching of Jim Lynch is nothing more than another one of the governor’s big tent sideshows…

Is this Lynch bashing attempting to simply make the republicans comfortable with voting for a former democrat in an attempt to swing the election to one of the less popular candidates they think Democrat Steve Bullock can beat?

I wouldn’t put anything past the devious Schweitzer organization.

So now the topic is officially on the table for discussion:

1. Do you think Lynch’s candidacy is a a nefarious plot by Gov. BS to disrupt the Republican gubernatorial primary in order to improve Bullock’s chances?

2. Do you think Lynch’s claim to be a life-long Republican passes the “smell test”?

3. Do you think there’s any truth to the rumors of a federal investigation into possible misappropriation of funds at MDOT?

4. EXTRA CREDIT: Are you buying into Tim Reardon’s hand-wringing and protests of ignorance about the multiple hiring issues that have occurred over there for the past several years?

Some days you just have to focus on the big question…. But today was one of these days:

From the moment you first learn that you are going to become a parent, you also learn how incredibly precious and fragile life can be and how little control you have over the way things will turn out. Fortunately most of us never have to face that kind of terror as we celebrate the normal ups and downs of life with kids.

One beautiful spring day in May, two and a half years ago, a young Montana couple, Jon and Jessi Bennion, found out just how scary reality can be when their eagerly awaited first child was born unexpectedly at just twenty-three weeks of gestation. Even with all the miracles of modern medicine, the odds for a micro-premie’s survival are frighteningly low.

The story of baby Jack was first shared by his father, Jon, in a series of emails to friends and family in the days following the baby’s birth. I was fortunate to be included in the email chain that heralded the triumphs and shared the traumas that comprised the first months of Jack’s life. Jon is a very talented writer and, like may others, I had been hoping that he would compile those early emails and the subsequent blog posts into a book. The book is now written and ready to be published so the world can be a witness to Jack’s incredible journey from tiny infant in the NICU to delightful toddler:

It was during that night when I learned my first lesson as a father. My role in life had changed substantially – more than when I started kindergarten, learned to drive, graduated from college and law school, and even more than when I got married. There was a miniature human being with my genes that was now totally dependent on me and others for his very life. Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh.
At some point, it became clear to me that I needed to be a father by choosing hope. My son needed a cheering section with me leading the charge, not a scared, despondent dad bent on protecting his own feelings. If Jack ended up succumbing to the complications of his extreme prematurity, I would be crushed. But my own feelings were not important enough to withhold my faith in my son. I would survive somehow. If I couldn’t be my son’s biggest fan, who would be?
Despite feelings of denial, fear, anger, and desperation, I made the choice that hope would overcome any negative feelings about the situation we now faced. Jack needed me – he needed his dad.

I’m here for you, buddy. I will do anything for you. I believe in you.

It’s a Christmas story and an Easter story. It is a story that you can read with equal part smiles and tears because it is a story of faith, of hope, of love – and mostly a story of the indomitable spirit of human life. And even if you know a story sort of like this, you still have to read this one simply because, “You Don’t Know Jack!”

In her recent speech in Tupelo, Mississippi, Sarah Palin exhorted the crowd to remain in the game and make a difference. Continuing with the message she delivered along with the news that she wouldn’t be running for president that we all can – and must – work to restore America’s greatness, Gov. Palin used a Bible passage, Matthew 5, to illustrate her point.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Moira Crooks over at Conservatives 4 Palin expanded on the governor’s theme in one of the most profound pieces I’ve read in a long time, “Pass the Salt and Turn the Lights On”

It’s a long essay, but worth every minute it takes to read it, because it focuses on how much impact ordinary things – salt and light – and ordinary people – us – can have on the world. The story she shares about how the Czechs, who were forced to work in the German munitions factory, were able to thwart the Nazi effort in a seemingly insignificant way is fascinating and inspirational.

Go read it and come back and share your ideas about how we should be flavoring and lighting our little corner of the world in the coming months. Politically speaking, of course.

For those thousands of you dear faithful readers who have been devastated by my sudden and unannounced absence, I humbly apologize. A confluence of unrelated events conspired to cause my temporary exile from the blogosphere – a computer meltdown, a bucket-load of work and “extracurricular” activities, and a totally unexpected political disappointment.

The computer issue is not completely resolved, but I have come up with a suitable paperclip and scotch tape fix that should hold for a short while at least. Many thanks to resident genius and generous son!

The extra work and activities are part and parcel of what I like to do, so no complaints there. I wish I were about twenty-five years younger though!

The unexpected political disappointment – ah, yes… Most of you can guess. Sarah Palin’s decision not to run for president. What a bummer! I have to admit that initially I was almost as relieved as upset though. I’ve gotten over the relieved part and am still dealing with the upset and disappointed part – mostly by focusing on the down-ticket campaigns. You’ll learn more about that in the coming months. Yay you!

Anyway, as long as the computer hangs in, I’m back. I know you’re thrilled.

Guest Post by Loki

Recently Michelle Obama was pictured at Target getting closer to the little people… voters. Obviously a staged photo-op as an AP photographer was ‘tipped’ of the event through his direct ‘tip line feed’ from the White House. Pictured were the First Lady and an assistant. But this staged event was transparent, pretentious and greedy.

That it was staged is evident. No Secret Service agents were anywhere in the photos. Obviously they were either in disguise knowing that a photographer was joining them or were told to stay out of the photos. The First Lady goes nowhere without a caravan of agents, vehicles and assistants it is SOP.

Then the First Lady is shown in common street clothes and sunglasses without her recent gift of that $40k bracelet. Guess she was not sure that the ‘common people’ would not mug her in the store. I guess she had to wear the sunglasses inside because she didn’t want to be blinded by the photographers flash. Notice also that she is pushing an empty cart knowing that her limo is right outside the front door and she won’t have to carry her items to the parking lot. While she carries one arm load of items her single assistant is double arm loaded with purchases. Very pretentious trying to show she is just a plain old American while treating the help like a pack animal.

This was an extremely expensive adventure. Imagine how much it cost and how much planning had to go into her little excursion. She has assistants to make purchases. She could have sent one of them to make the purchases at a huge savings to the public. But then I don’t think that is something she is concerned with.

Finally there may be a hidden agenda. A couple of years ago George Soros turned his massive attack machine on the Target store to demonized the store driving the company stock down because they dared to contribute to conservatives. Then he invested heavily in the store’s stock. It now appears he is using his ‘bought and paid for’ actors to now bring the store brand back to the lime light and raise his stock value. Is Soros then a wise investor or just a stock manipulator? I doubt President Obama knows or cares.

I am officially old. This year I qualify for Social Security, although I can’t afford to quit working, so I won’t be signing up for it – and I haven’t reached Medicare age yet. But that’s not the determining factor. Nope.

It’s just that I have realized that babies have taken over the country. I had the feeling before – thirty some years ago when I realized that my entire life was orchestrated around the demands of my three kids. but now, with kids grown and running their own lives, I’m experiencing deja vu all over again.

To wit: On Fox News Sunday, the Power Player of the Week was the female football coach at one of the DC area high schools, Natalie Randolph. With her high-pitched, little girl voice and her delicate features, she appears to be all of about twelve. Her team of high school players tower over her. But in her second season, the team is touting an impressive 4 – 1 record. She obviously knows how to coach, and her priority on academics for these inner-city athletes is certainly a winner.

Then, less than fifteen minutes later on the regular Fox News channel, there was a story about the Supreme Court’s upcoming calendar presented by another infant, Peter Doocy. I know he can’t be more than eight or nine because his dad’s on Fox and Friends every day and Steve can hardly be more than thirty or thirty-two. Has anybody checked to see how many child-labor laws are being broken here? Rupert Murdoch can’t handle another scandal in his media empire.

To put the exclamation on my point, the anchor then interviewed the Attorney General for the state of Florida, Pam Bondi, a likely winner of the 2015 Miss Teen America pageant. Do the citizens of the Sunshine State know that they elected a teeny-bopper to argue against Obamacare in front of the Supreme Court?

Fercryinoutloud. When did these kids crawl out of their cribs and get so smart? How did I miss that? When did I get to be one of the geezers? “Honest, Officer, I didn’t see it coming. I was just standing here minding my own business and the next thing I knew – WHAM!”

Good thing that old age and treachery still beats youth and enthusiasm. At least some of the time.

I saw this on FaceBook earlier today…

Reporter Marnee Banks

Just got off the phone with former Secretary of State Brad Johnson. He will announce his 2012 campaign plans at the beginning of Oct. He says he is looking at all his options but he sees the Secretary of State’s office as a great fit for his qualifications.

And those qualifications would be????

– Short-term “serial employment” in the private sector – at least 10 different jobs (with different employers) in about 20 years.

– Losing three major elections – Senate in 2000, Secretary of State in 2008, and PSC in 2010

– Attempting to pay over $50,000 in illegal bonuses to his appointed staff after losing the 2008 election

– Chronic drinking that eventually led to his arrest and conviction for driving under the influence with a BAC over three times the legal limit

If Brad thinks he’s a good fit for SOS – or any job involving the public trust or taxpayer dollars, methinks he ought to take a good look in the mirror…

No, not the mighty Mississippi. Momentum. That force that propels the incredible into the inevitable and then onto reality. The force that sometimes starts out quietly – almost imperceptively – and then suddenly it becomes overwhelmingly irresistible as it crashes into the immoveable object.

We are at the threshold of just such a crash.

Professor Jacobson at Legal Insurrection put up a very interesting set of polls today – the first one asking you to select your favorite candidate from the current list of Republican wannabes. With over 2200 votes tallied, Herman Cain is leading with 49% of the responses; Perry comes in a distant second at 21%, and Romney at just under 10% is third. Gary Johnson and Ron Paul split the “so far right they’re left” fringe at about 2.5% each and Huntsman brings up the rear with a whopping 16 votes – .72%

Ok – no big shock there, especially after the debate last Thursday and the straw poll in Florida yesterday. The folks do not want Mitt Romney as their president. They just aren’t into him. They’ve flirted with Bachmann and even danced with Perry, but so far they aren’t showing much interest in going steady with the newest version of a compassionate conservative from Texas.

With the chorus of political strategists clammering for yet another “flavor of the month”, apparently there is an opportunity for one more East Coast, liberal establishment darling to enter the race. Toss in Chris Christie. But just to make things interesting, the good professor also included Sarah Palin in his second poll.

Guess what happened???

Yep – Huntsman lost 13 of those 16 votes he got in the first poll to keep a lock on last place; Romney ducked under the 4% threshold; Johnson and Paul don’t quite reach the 1.5% mark; Cain hangs on in second place; and the Kid from Jersey knocks Perry to fourth place by a healthy 4 percentage points. The novelty factor, as it were. But not to worry – just like Ben & Jerry’s new ice cream flavor “Schweddy Balls”, he’s a flash in the pan. Something to talk about at the water cooler for a day or two until the next political joke hits the email.

Who sucked all the oxygen out of the room?

You betcha – with over 57% of the votes, the hands-down favorite was – ta-da – Sarah Palin.

It will take a while before the LSM and the “establishment” understand what has hit them. No problem. Sarah is more than a phenomenon – she’s a force of nature. And the force is with her.

Consider Professor Jacobson’s poll an early warning alert.

For those of you who want to get on board the wave of the future, join us over at Montanans 4 Palin. We’re just starting up, but we plan to leverage the momentum as it starts in Iowa, continues to New Hampshire, crosses the country to Nevada and then to Arizona, South Carolina, and Michigan.