Opinion
The second-best graduation speech
Congratulations! Today is your day!
Dr. Seuss lovers will recognize those five words as the beginning of his book, "Oh, the Places You'll Go," which after 20 years is still a favorite graduation gift and speech.
That book will forever be the best graduation speech anyone could ever share with those about to leave high school or college.
Letter To The Editor: Tax alert for the Affordable Care Act.
Dear Editor,
The people were told by advocates of ACA that taxes would not be raised, that not one dime would be added to the debt, that we could keep our doctor, that we could keep our health care plan. As it now turns out the above is pure fiction (i.e. lies or misdirection to fool us?) The following are excerpts from Grace Marie Turner’s comments to Investor’s Business Daily: The President promised middle-income families they would not see their taxes go up “one single dime”.
To the Editor: What Cemetery Month should mean to all of us
To the Editor:
The month of May in Iowa has been proclaimed “Cemetery Appreciation Month: by the Office of the governor. The proclamation says in part that we dedicate this month to the care of our pioneer cemeteries.
Cemeteries are not just a burial ground but are much more. For some the cemetery is the only record that the person ever lived.
Pastor's Blog: First things, or the Gospel According to John
Some time ago, I undertook an in-depth study of the the Gospel of John. The personal benefit was so great I figured someday I’d get around to sharing what I learned with others. Now if you’ve read John’s Gospel only a time or two, or are generally unfamiliar with the book, it can be intimidating, even though this Gospel contains fairly simple ideas and concepts.
To the Editor: BC 4-H members set good example for teens with DM weekend
By Judi Hertle
I spent a weekend in Des Moines with several Benton County 4Hers for what is called “Urban Plunge.” We spent the weekend visiting homeless shelters, cleaning up homeless camp sites, visiting the homes of special needs children and an after school program for under privileged children. This was a cultural experience for all involved.
Letter to the Editor: An important option for the handicapped
By Betty Thorsvig
AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT DID NOT KNOW THIS?
We have lived here for 6 years.
Our daughter is handicapped, in a wheel chair.
She swam on the VHS swim team.
We have used the Vinton Public Pool many, many times over the years. Our daughter has an extremely difficult time getting into Vinton's Public Pool and even more so getting out of it.
Letter to the Editor: A Progressive Scorecard
A Progressive Scorecard:
(1) Almost 50M on food stamps
(2) A major portion of those receiving unemployment benefits out of work for more than six months
(3) a majority of black youth unemployed, many college grads unable to get that first job - but with a mountain of debt they cannot pay back
(4) Foreign Affairs – successes?? , or failures? Egypt, Libya, Syria, Benghazi, Ukraine, Fast and Furious.
Mum on probe: A lesson on headlines, and the challenge of writing them
“Cops nab pair, mum on probe.”
“Bush taps crony for State.”
Believe it or not, copy editors — the people who are considered the best at using the English language — are the ones who create phrases like these.
Headlines.
In case you did not understand the first headline above, it means that police officers arrested two people, and are not commenting on the investigation.
To The Editor: Why Vinton needs a Social Host ordinance
Here are two things you might not know about me. When I was young we lived next to a busy highway in Springville Iowa and I was a huge professional wrestling fan. When I was a teenager, professional wrestling was still called WWF. Most weekends my brother, our friends, and I watched WWF and cheered for our favorite wrestlers. I liked George “The Animal” Steel because he always won and he always bit his opponent.
A significant, sad media anniversary
The most important story in the news today – which will totally unreported – is that today is the anniversary of one of the major tragic milestones of modern journalism.
On this date, March 21, in 1997, one of the best journalists in U.S. history wrote his last column.
Mike Royko won just about every journalism award possible as he covered Chicago and the rest of the country from the 1960s until his death 17 Aprils ago.