Siftings
Nov
05
Not a complaint, just an observation #1,537
The workday starts at 7:30 with a breakfast, so I’d be up a little early anyway. This is one of those mornings where the newspaper really pulls its weight. I’m sure some folks stay up late and watch election returns, but I’ve never seen the point of that. The newspaper will have it all neatly...
Nov
02
Thank you, Alma
I’m pleasantly surprised. Times reporter Alma Gaul has two excellent stories about the “Food Forest” project in the Garden Addition. The story about the recent planting of nut bearing trees is interesting and has heartwarming photography, but her side story about former City Designer Darrin...
Nov
01
Harbingers
Two sure harbingers of winter are swapping the Jeep’s soft top for the hard top and making a pass through Snowstar’s pre-season equipment swap. Colin scores the coolest skis at the swap, that somehow also have the lowest price - $20. They’re vintage Super G skis. Long metallic gold beauties,...
Oct
31
Introductions, Part II
Bob Babcock stops by City Hall, unannounced, to discuss yesterday’s meeting. We’ve never met, and exchange brief “how we got here” bios. He scans my bookshelf and makes some assumptions.
I tell him I try not to use the “P word”. The Council was courageous to put an initiative on a ballot in...
Oct
31
Craig’s Friday Countdown: Gas station candy bars
Gas Station Candy Bars
20. Zagnut – never had one, not buying anything called Zagnut
19. Whatchamacallit – never had one, opposed to buying something the company which sells it is too lazy to give a name to (also applies to most luxury car brands)
18. Payday – a bag of nuts is better
17. ...
Oct
30
Introductions
I’m invited to attend a meeting to discuss ways to help kids overcome poverty. It’s the fourth meeting of the group and when I read the minutes of the first three meetings to prepare, I find the meeting gets underway with introductions. When the intros get around to me I simply say, “I’m Craig...
Oct
24
Paving Materials
Paving Materials
16. Stamped / Colored Asphalt – lame and useless, should never be used in any public project
15. Grasscrete – have never seen it work as advertised
14. Hot Coals – at least better than stamped or colored asphalt
13. Stamped / Colored Concrete – over used, but has its...
Oct
22
Rithmetic
The math skills of the customers may be sketchy, but the calculations of the casino industry in Iowa are anything but. It’s a $1 billion annual industry, employing more than 9,000 people and generating $384 million in taxes on a voluntary for most, but addictive for some, activity. A handful of...
Oct
18
Vantage point
The bands marched into Brady Street Stadium, full of energy and enthusiasm. The stands were packed for the day long IHSA Marching Band competition. Well, half the stands were packed. The stands facing east were chock full, while the stands facing west were empty.
Was it violating some social...
Oct
17
Turn around
“Where you stand depends on where you sit”, Rufus Miles once famously stated, suggesting our perspective is molded by … our perspective. My corollary to the maxim halves the word count to “Go to the problem”. It’s the first rule of leadership. Go to the problem. Don’t let it be described to you...
