Living in Society
Politics mostly social commentary.
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While in the kitchen making soup this week, Iowa Public Radio announced new weekend news programming. Someone had to be removed to make room in the lineup. It was sad when they announced it was Fiona Ritchie whose Thistle and Shamrock I’ve been following for many years. She has been a mainstay of my weekend… Read more
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It is a basic function of government to fund operations. With the Federal Government, it’s complicated, yet is a primary reason we send U.S. Senators and Representatives to Washington. Both Iowa Senators, Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley recognize the need to fund the government without shutting it down first. This is evidenced by their vote… Read more
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While clearing brush in the front yard I picked up something that caused a rash. My arm is red and it itches. I happened to already have a clinic appointment this week so I asked them about the rash. They prescribed a cream, and messaged it to the pharmacy approved by my insurance company. It’s… Read more
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The Solon Economist reported about the Nov. 7 city and school board elections in its Aug. 31 edition. The article didn’t say much. In particular, the author did not say whether the incumbents were running for re-election. Local newspapers are under financial stress, yet we rely upon them for coverage of local elections. At the… Read more
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Rain fell against my windshield for the entirety of the 2-hour drive from Des Moines Sunday night. We need rain. The next day, on my walk along the lake shore trail, it was clear the Lake Macbride Watershed absorbed all of the rain without any extra. The culvert that empties from the watershed into the… Read more
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A woman posted her hobbies on a community website to encourage people to contact her to be friends. She was new to the county seat and was having trouble getting to know people, the post said. To encourage people, she listed these hobbies: discovering places/things, thrift stores, garage sales, movies, going out to eat, and… Read more
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In 2022 I wrote how I felt about Labor Day: “Even though I retired during the pandemic, and its been many years since I carried a union card, I believe I’ll take the day off, work at home, and thank a union.” At 11.3 percent of the workforce, there are not that many American workers… Read more
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It has been no secret the interchange between Interstates 80 and 380 near Coralville needed improvement. It has long been one of the most crash-prone places in the state of Iowa. Commenced in 2018, the infrastructure project to reconstruct it is approaching completion, maybe in time for the Labor Day weekend. On Friday, Aug. 25,… Read more
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Some days I wish the 45th President would settle into retirement and fade away. That doesn’t seem likely. There is, however, a strong case that Trump is disqualified from being on the ballot because of his engagement in the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Dean Obeidallah presents a case for action in a recent substack… Read more
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After the Aug. 17, 2023 town hall meeting in Shueyville, State Representative Amy Nielsen provided the following information to help stay current with what the Iowa House Democrats are doing: Official Legislative Website and Subscribe to Newsletter: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/ Website: https://iowahouse.org/ Blue Statehouse Alert Email Alerts (Weekly during session, Monthly during interim): https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-up-for-the-blue-statehouse-alert People Over Politics… Read more
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