If you didn’t watch last night’s Frontline, you should.
The Released takes a hard look at the ways we’re failing people with chronic mental illness — warehousing them in prisons and jails because there are no other options.
According to the program, about 1 million people in prison are there because of a mental illness. The real [...]
Archive for April, 2009
Warehousing the mentally ill
Posted in Uncategorized on April 29, 2009 | Comments Off
4/29 Column: Guns don’t translate to safety
Posted in Crime and Punishment, Gazette Columns, tagged Brian Gardner, Crime, guns on April 29, 2009 | 20 Comments »
Is it me, or are people acting pretty touchy lately?
Stormy weather, sinking economy, swine flu — I don’t know the cause, but people are on edge.
Which is one reason why I’m uneasy about the news that Eastern Iowans are packing heat in record numbers.
Orlan Love’s article in today’s Gazette says there’s been a surge here [...]
4/25 Column: Turning problem properties around
Posted in Crime and Punishment, Gazette Columns, tagged Dolphin Lake Point Enclave, Crime, Maz Baig on April 24, 2009 | 4 Comments »
It isn’t easy to pull a problem rental property out of a nose-dive.
But it can be done.
Just ask Maz Baig.
In less than two years of managing Dolphin Lake Point Enclave (formerly the notorious Lakeside Apartments), Baig has spearheaded efforts to turn the 401-unit complex from a criminal refuge to a family-friendly neighborhood.
Last fall, I wrote [...]
More free stuff
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Cedar Rapids, Department of Natural Resources, recycling on April 22, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Dick Stater, Iowa Waste Exchange Resource Specialist in Cedar Rapids, e-mailed me about today’s column to ask I bring your attention to another great resource swap opportunity.
The Iowa Waste Exchange has a database of more than 9,000 businesses that have resources available or who can use them. He said:
The Iowa Waste Exchange is a free, confidential and non-regulatory [...]
4/22 Earth Day Column: Back to basics
Posted in Gazette Columns, tagged Earth Day, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, recycling, University of Iowa on April 22, 2009 | 2 Comments »
I’m as excited as the next person about mass transit and green buildings.
I’m just jazzed about wind energy, solar power and hybrid cars.
But on this Earth Day, let’s take a few steps back from that thrilling cutting edge of eco-consciousness.
Instead, I’d like to take a few minutes to discuss a humble, cheap and old-school way [...]
4/18 Column:No easy answer to Cedar Rapids violence
Posted in Crime and Punishment, Gazette Columns on April 17, 2009 | 1 Comment »
It is disturbing that four other Cedar Rapids police officers have been injured even while their colleague Tim Davis is recovering from a brutal March 29 beating.
That’s unacceptable, even if it isn’t unusual.
Gazette Reporter Jeff Raasch reported Friday there have been about 17 assaults on police officers in Cedar Rapids so far this year. That’s [...]
We *heart* Susan Boyle
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Britain's Got Talent, reality tv, Susan Boyle on April 16, 2009 | 1 Comment »
What is it about Susan Boyle, the unglamorous, unemployed, 47-year-old woman who drew snickers this week when she stepped on the stage of the British TV show Britain’s Got Talent?
Our cynical hearts went out to her – how many times have we seen earnest but untalented people chewed up by a reality show? But then she started to [...]
4/15 Column: Taxes and Tea
Posted in Gazette Columns, tagged tax day, TEA Parties on April 14, 2009 | 8 Comments »
Well, it’s Tax Day. Time to pony up for all those roads used, common currency exchanged, borders protected and children educated. It’s time to pay the man.
And time to complain about it, too, as we always do. Only this year, if you want, you can turn your grousing into an event.
The TEA Party folks are [...]
Rebellious teens wanted
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Iowa Film Office, parenting, reality tv, stereotypes, teens on April 10, 2009 | Comments Off
File this one under train wreck: In my inbox today, from the Iowa Film Office, is this casting call for rebellious teens.
Seems there’s a new Wife Swap-style reality show in the works, and producers are looking for “teens with unique interests; technically savvy teens; hippies; urbanites; slobs; surfers; affluent teens; liberals; defiant teens; and teens who have [...]
4/8 Column: Activist judges and laws uniform
Posted in Gazette Columns, Uncategorized, tagged civics, gay marriage, Iowa Supreme Court, judicial branch, Varnum v. Brien on April 7, 2009 | 6 Comments »
It is telling that state Supreme Court justices saw the need in last week’s marriage equality ruling to devote an entire section to the state’s constitutional separation of powers.
Even more telling that, despite that high school civics lesson, some people still don’t understand the role of our judicial branch.
Oh sure, some firebrands almost certainly are [...]
