Super Bowl Prediction Time

People read the Iowa Blog Cabin for its hard-hitting, pull-no-punches analysis. For the Super Bowl, it's no different.

Sunday is going to be a good game. As a lifelong Steeler's fan, you can probably guess who I'm pulling for and who I think is going to win. Here's how it's going to happen...

I hope the Cardinals get the ball first.  This will let the Steelers' defense set the tone right off the bat for the game.  Warner gets rid of the ball pretty fast, so the challenge is going to be to put pressure on him.  They'll shut down the running game, forcing the Cardinals to throw - which they're good at.  But, they're going to throw more than they want to on Sunday which will lead to sacks, interceptions and fumbles. 

This will lead to the Steelers enjoying good field position with a short field - and reducing the pressure on Big Ben.  The Steelers' offensive line will eventually wear down the Cardinal defense, opening up an effective running game - watch for Willie Parker to have a very good game.

The real wildcard for the the Cardinals is Ken Whisenhunt.  He won a Super Bowl as the offensive coach for the Steelers.  He likes trickery and he knows how Big Ben - and Willie Parker thinks .  If they can pull off a trick play and intercept Roethlisberger, they have a real shot. 

In sum, the Steelers should win this game.  If Arizona wins the trick play, turnover, special teams, jedi-mindtrick battle - they have a fighting chance. 

Nevertheless, the Iowa Blog Cabin predicts - 24 - 13 - Steelers win.  Take it to the bank.

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Gulp!

Watch this. Seriously. Watch this now. It will blow your mind. If it doesn't, please move to Cuba.

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STD Prevention is Economic Stimulus?

With answers like this, how could we ever doubt her...?

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BREAKING NEWS! Another DTV Update!

The House of Representatives has struck down the president's request to extend the DTV deadline!  This means that the February deadline is back on! Take action now - do not delay!  Time is of the essence.

From the AP:

Bucking the Obama administration, House Republicans on Wednesday defeated a bill to postpone the upcoming transition from analog to digital television broadcasting to June 12 — leaving roughly 6.5 million U.S. households unprepared for the switchover.

The 258-168 vote failed to clear the two-thirds threshold needed for passage in a victory for GOP members, who warn that postponing the transition from the current Feb. 17 deadline would confuse consumers.

Barry is gonna be pissed.

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IBC Bonus! Mid-Week Rant

“You don’t ever want a crisis to go to waste; it’s an opportunity to do important things that you would otherwise avoid.”  -Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff

Well, it looks like the House of Representatives is going to vote on another stimulus package. Another $1.2 trillion down the drain. I was reading yesterday the items that are actually in this bill - and it's hilarious.

Take a look:

• Billions in taxpayer dollars for left-wing "community organizing" groups like ACORN.  This money will be used to buy cigarettes for homeless bums that agree to vote for Democrats.  Awesome! 
• Another $650 million for DTV coupons.  That's $650 MILL-ION.  For coupons.  To buy converter boxes made in China.  So people can watch TV.  That'll stimulate things. 
• $600 million so the federal government can buy new cars.  A chicken in every pot.  A Prius for every bureaucrat.  Oh wait.  Prius is not made by one of the companies our central planners support.  They aren't unionized.
• $6 billion for colleges and universities.  WHEW!  Basket Weaving 101, The Evils of Capitalism 204 and Reinterpreting American History 303, WILL be offered next semester by your favorite America-hating tenured professor who has NEVER had a a real job in his/her life. 
• $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts.  Millions of starving artists will finally get to go back to work painting poop-smeared portraits of the Virgin Mary. 
• $44 million for repairs to U.S. Department of Agriculture headquarters.  Tom Vilsack, that intrepid Iowa farmer, says thanks. 
• $200 million for the National Mall, including $21 million for sod.  After seeing the Obama Wasteland the other day, $21 million for new sod may not be enough.
• The plan establishes at least 32 new government programs at a cost of over $136 billion.  Rule #1 of Bureaucracy development:  Make the bureaucracy permanent.  Check!   
• The plan provides spending in at least 150 different federal programs.  Andrew Lesko is already working on his next book...   

A few othe tidbits:

• The cost of the stimulus is enough to give every man, woman and child in the United States $2,700.
• It's enough to give every American living in poverty $22,000.
• The bill will cost each and every American household $6,700 in national debt.

But at least they've dropped the millions that was in it for contraceptives.  All of this crap is going to pass, too.  Please - raise your hand if you honestly think it is going to do one bit of good...Seriously.  It's a total waste of money.  How will this stimulate the economy and create good permanent jobs and national prosperity?  It won't.

But I know what will work - CUT MY TAXES and let me keep more of the money that I earn (Along with every other American and the businesses they own.)  I looked it up - in 2007, the federal government collected something like $2.6 trillion in income taxes.  Why not let the people who earned this money decide how to spend the money and what parts of the economy need "stimulus"? 

Friends and neighbors, it's craziness - and this stimulus will not help bring our economy out of recession or create permanent, good paying jobs.  Another $1.2 billion, down the drain.  Thankfully, the printing presses still work, right?

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Pic of the Day: Out to Sea

From Virgin Islands - March 2007

Hmmm...Where I'd like to be right about now.

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The DTV Drama Continues...

A little follow-up to a recent rant.  Looks like Congress is going to delay the transition to DTV by four months.  Great.  Four more months of public service announcements.  On behalf of millions of old ladies who want to watch "Days of our Lives," thank-you Barry. 

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Rollin' On Over

Babies are funny.  Before today, Collin has rolled over a couple times - primarily on "accident."  That is, he's been on the floor messing around and - WHOOOP!  He'd roll over.  Or, it's taken a fair bit of prodding and almost trickery on our part.  He's been strong enough to roll over for a long time - he's really strong, actually.  But he never quite had it down - rolling from his back to his stomach.  His one arm kept getting in his way and it was stop him from completing the roll.

Until this morning.  He's laying there on the floor on his back and, almost like it was nothing, he rolls over.  I was amazed.  But, one roll does not a trend make.  So, I put him back on his back.  Two seconds later - WHAM-O.  He rolls over again- no sweat. 

Collin and I spent most of the afternoon down in the "manatorium" watching the NFL network's highlights of every single Super Bowl.  It was great.  In the several hours that we were down there, he rolled over more times than I could keep track of.  He'd roll over, looked shocked for a second, look at me and laugh and start chewing on his fist.  Finally, he'd get a little bored with it and, unable to yet roll back over, I'd help him out.  A few seconds later, he'd roll over again - like he'd been doing it for years.

Pretty neat stuff - he figured it out and perfected the art of rolling over in a couple hours.  Pictures and videos of the action coming soon...

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Friday's Rant: Where Do I Begin?

So much to rant about this week.  Last night, I leaned back in my couch, scratched my chin and pondered what to write...

I could start with more on the Obama cultists...But then I thought, I've already written about these sheep so much, I'm kind of tired of it.  There are two kinds of people in this world:  Those that think this guy walks on water, can do no wrong, is the second coming of Jesus, or, like me.  Like every other cult - ration, logical reason doesn't apply to these people.  Enough said.

So after I passed on writing about the Obama cultists, I thought about the bailouts, fiscal stimuli, Keynesian economics and other types of creative math.  I thought about how our government has poured literally trillions of dollars down a rat hole and nothing has changed.  I thought about the new AND IMPROVED fiscal stimulus package proposal on its way.  Trillions more, no doubt. 

I thought about tax cuts.  Rather than spend my money on B.S. "infrastructure" - union payback projects, why not just let us keep more of our money - the money we earn?  I'll put my hand on the holy tax code right now and swear to Lord Obama - the first thing I'll do is by a 47" flat panel LCD TV - just give me a tax cut.  My mind drifted off to my old Economics classes...something about printing money and inflation. 

My thoughts then turned introspective.  Could I be wrong?  I doubt it.  I looked at Ol' Col.  He agreed. 

I thought about the war on terror and and our new president.  What does it say about his priorities when the first thing he does is stop the terrorist trials and close down Guantanemo Bay?  I thought it interesting that he has more interest in justice for terrorists at the Guantanemo Bay resort prison than the rest of us.  I thought about how I didn't really care WHAT they do to the terrorists - ever.  I then thought about the 240-some terrorists at Gitmo.  How they would all fit nicely in the cargo bay of a C-130.  How convenient it would be to fly them out to the middle of the ocean and open door.  Problem solved.  I believe, in Latin American countries, it's referred to as "being disappeared."  I'm cool with it. 

I thought about the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Nothing to rant about there.

I grew a little more anxious, was this going to be the week I can't decide what to rant about?  I kept pondering...

I flipped open the laptop and began to read...looking a little more certain that Franken's going to steal the election.  Great.

This morning I see Obama's lifting the ban on funding for groups that perform abortions abroad.  Ugh.  I guess that's change. 

So, here I sit.  What to rant about?  I'm sure I'll think of something...

Breathe in, breathe out...there will be another election.

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An Obama Wasteland

What's the carbon footprint of this?

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