I like the sound of this (05/12/08)
Wanted to take some space this week out there to thank all you mother's for the job you do. From my own mother, to my wife, and to her mother, as well as all of you who keep things running with the kids, with the home, on the job, and everywhere else - it's an amazing thing you do...

Celebrating successful lives (05/06/08)
We're nearing graduation time, and that brings with it earnest speeches about goals and success and "making your mark on the world." It's a good thing, this yearning toward success. The real question is -- what is "success?" How can it be measured, quantified, graded?...

Be mindful of your feelings (05/05/08)
Right now, at the heart of the election season's political debate, is of course the issue of the Iraq war and the war on terror in general. My brother-in-law has served two tours of duty in Iraq and if possibly facing a third trip back this year. It's his job. ...

Growing up too fast (04/29/08)
Walt Disney would be shocked. That's the consensus after photos of Miley Cyrus, "Hannah Montana" for those with tween and teenagers, hit the media over the weekend. Shot by legendary photographer Annie Leibowitz for Vanity Fair magazine, the pictures include a shot of 15-year-old Cyrus with only a bedsheet covering her top half...

Another bout of gas cramps (04/28/08)
It's been a long time. I can't remember how long exactly. And quite honestly, I could feel these coming on for quite a while. But now that we've reached the halfway point between $3 and $4 gas - it's official, my gas cramps have returned. And this time, they are so severe, that I really have to watch what I eat, because the gas issue also seems to be food related...

Answer might be blowing in the wind (04/22/08)
We may not live in Kansas, like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, but spring in Northwest Iowa has brought with it winds strong enough to send Toto into flight. This year's cool and wet spring has made our state's propensity for wind even more apparent. And, with oil prices over $117 a barrel, it's no wonder that more and more folks are looking to the skies to fulfill our future energy needs...

Horror in the name of art (04/21/08)
I've heard about some pretty horrible things in name of artistic expression. There have been touring exhibits featuring crucifixes immersed in jars of urine. There have been works of art with the Virgin Mary created and covered in animal crap. But this week, with the Pope in America, talking about issues of brotherhood and love for your fellow man, we have perhaps the worst "artistic" endeavor ever taking place on a college campus...

Story needed to be told (04/15/08)
We're blessed here in northwest Iowa. Blessed with fertile land, good schools, a close, supportive community. It's easy sometimes to be lulled into a false sense of security. The awful stories we see on the national news and read in the press about man's inhumanity to man can seem sometimes to be filtered through a screen of complacency. Those things happen in other places, to other people. Certainly not in our community, and certainly not to the people we love...

Animal magnetism: Let's stick them (04/14/08)
I've been accused on more than one occasion of being a heartless and generally mean guy. I can't deny it. I'm really a jerk when it comes to child molesters, violent criminals, drug dealers and basically anybody who can't obey the basic rules of a civilized society...

Curbing some gas guzzling (04/08/08)
The shock comes about once a week, when I pull up to the pumps to fill my vehicle with gas. It's a big vehicle. And it's a big total when it's full. It's a different world than the one I grew up in. I remember my mom giving me $2 for gas on a Friday night. I drove the family truckster - a 1977 Mercury Marquis with a front end 200 yards long. And, with that $2 I could put enough gas in the car for a satisfactory number of trips up and down Grand Avenue, and safely home...

Seeking your help (04/07/08)
A couple of organizations are calling on the citizens of Spencer to step up to the plate and make a difference. Let's hope the community responds. On Sunday afternoon, beginning at 1 p.m., SMU subscribers will be able to watch the Arts on Grand Telethon, a project designed to help generate much needed funding for one of Spencer's original artistic treasurers...

Recognizing our progress and our people (04/01/08)
It's an exciting time here at The Daily Reporter. On Thursday morning, a very heavy paper will land on your doorstep, our annual Progress edition. Every year, I'm amazed at what this community, its business and its people, have accomplished. This year is no exception. No wonder I'm tired, it's been a very busy year!...

Liar, liar…Our former first lady is under fire (03/31/08)
There's a hilarious video online having a little fun with Hillary's latest snake of the tongue. Go to www.youtube.com and search for "Hillary Wasn't Lying" and you should find it. It's basically some edited footage of Hillary meeting with military and young children and dignitaries supposedly in Bosnia. ...

Forget April. March is the cruelest month (03/25/08)
Well, March Madness is here, and this year it doesn't just seem to refer to the NCAA men's basketball tourney. My brackets, by the way, are well and truly busted. Davidson? San Diego? If there was to be a Cinderella, in my bracket anyway, it was gonna be Drake...

Celebrating new life (03/24/08)
Easter is a very emotional event for me. I don't know that it always was, but a few years ago, I guess it was really all put into perspective for me courtesy of a movie. Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" was one of the most impactful films I've ever seen...

Funding those darn essentials (03/18/08)
Imagine building a beautiful house, but never being home to enjoy it. Or amassing a world-class collection of art, but not having a key to open the door. How about having some of the best teachers, coaches and mentors around, but keeping them away from your community's children...

One wild week (03/17/08)
It's been a wild week around here. First, we had our local U.S. Rep. Steve King, use a local candidacy announcement appointment to unleash what would turn into a political bombshell. Speaking with myself, reporter Russ Mitchell and KICD newsman Mark Bruggom, King made his generic announcement about intentions to seek a fourth term as representative for District Five in the fine state of Iowa...

Let the Madness begin! (03/11/08)
It's March, and that means it's time for my favorite season in college sports - March Madness. I had a great opportunity this past weekend to watch two teams who, while their names sound a lot alike, are entering the tournament under very different circumstances. While I admire both teams a great deal, I know which one I'll be cheering for most loudly through the coming days...

Giving Back (03/08/08)
It's funny how some people view life. I'm going to take care of my interests. I'm looking out for number one. You know the old saying, 20 percent of the people do 80 percent of the work. That's not an old saying -- it's true. And the funny thing about that, it's usually the 80 percent that sit around complaining because so-and-so is always doing this or that. You know what, you're right. So why don't you get out there and volunteer to help?...