Living in Society
Politics mostly social commentary.
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After filing eight stories for the newspaper this week, and a freelance job, I’m ready to work on the garden. Before I do, a few bits and pieces from Big Grove. Breakfast this morning began with my new favorite—home blended yogurt. We buy a large tub of plain yogurt at the warehouse and I mix… Read more
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David Rhodes is one of my favorite fiction writers because he writes about my world, literally and figuratively. When he describes Highway 151 near Dubuque in Jewelweed, it resonates because I’ve been there. That kind of literary experience occurred in the three of his five books I’ve read. It’s hardly a way of making a… Read more
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As punctuation to my article Why Bakken Oil is Dirty, last Thursday’s BNSF oil train derailment in a remote area near Galena, Ill. tells the story better than I could. It is the third Bakken oil train derailment in the last three weeks according to National Public Radio. Carrying light sweet crude to market from… Read more
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Two bits of news related to minimum wage emerged last week, and neither of them represents a solution for low wage workers. The Iowa Legislature advanced Senate Study Bill 1151 from a subcommittee to increase the minimum wage to $8.75 per hour by July 2016, with a $0.75 increase July 1 and another $0.75 a… Read more
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State Senator Joe Bolkcom, member of the natural resources and environment committee, spoke last Tuesday at the capitol about environmental issues. “Is there anything related to the environment you would like to see covered in greater detail?” I asked. “There are some questions around megadroughts coming mid-century,” he said. “Have we dedicated enough attention and… Read more
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