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The actually scary side of Halloween

Ghosts? Fun! Zombies? Bring them on! Haunted houses? We’ll take two tickets. But this Halloween, there is something genuinely frightening we should talk about. Every day, animals are transported into slaughterhouses most of us will never see. What happens inside is kept far away from grocery stores, restaurant menus, and cheerful food packaging. We even use comfortable words like “beef,” “pork,” and “poultry” to help us forget who our food once was. Maybe that is because looking too closely would scare us. Here is the good news: Halloween horror is supposed to be pretend. ...

World Food Day: What are we doing with all this food?

On World Food Day, people around the globe will discuss hunger, sustainability, and how to feed a growing population. There is another question worth asking: What are we feeding our food to? Vast quantities of crops, land, and water are used to raise animals who are then eaten by people. It is a remarkably resource-intensive way to produce food, especially while hundreds of millions of people face hunger. Ending animal agriculture alone will not solve the political and economic causes of food insecurity, but that does not make the system sensible. If we were designing tomorrow’s food ...

Data center

I am writing to share my thoughts on the proposed Data Center, following up on our recent conversation. Overall, I strongly support this project for several reasons: 1. Noise Ordinances: Existing noise regulations are already in place. If the business operates within these guidelines, there is no issue. If they exceed them, standard enforcement steps will handle it. 2. Lighting Ordinances: Similarly, lighting regulations already exist, and the company must comply with them. 3. Water Supply: Water Works confirmed supply is sufficient. Additionally, the owners have offered to ...

Iowa has a Sam Brownback problem

Iowa has a Governor Brownback problem. In 2011 in Kansas Sam Brownback was elected governor, and he did what Iowa Republican lawmakers and Governor Reynolds have been trying to do — starve the state to appeal to voters who don’t like to pay taxes. Massive state income tax cuts in Kansas in 2012–2013 — often called the "Kansas experiment" — which aimed to spur economic growth but led to severe state budget shortfalls. In addition, it did not spur the Kansas economy more than the neighboring states. Iowa is spending more than it taxes for the last three years. The state's ...

MPL boardroom antics pt. 11

The letter to you published on Aug. 24, titled MPL boardroom antics pt. 10, featured a Statement of Concern rejected from an MPL agenda. In the Sept. 15 MPL board meeting, board members failed to perform their appointed duties as requested in the Statement and failed to resign for reasons also listed in the Statement. Instead, during comment time recent appointee Lea Husak, referred to pressure from patrons as bullying. If bullying includes patron/citizens exorcizing the right and importantly, the duty to hold appointed TRUSTees accountable, then the label is accurate. Characterization ...

Joshua and the stranger

Many centuries ago, there was a major land-battle shaping up. Joshua and the Israelites were following their God. It was during a time when God was cleansing the land for the Israelites. Many people cannot believe God would destroy folks in this manner, they believe this story didn't really happen. But it did happen and there is a lesson there. In a weary state, Joshua rested and began to contemplate the enormous task God had called him to. Looking "across the way" (across the valley) he saw a man not dressed in Jewish clothes and He was carrying a weapon of war. So Joshua confronted ...