Editorial cartoonist Brian Duffy used to have his work featured on the front page of the Des Moines Register. Soon after that paper gave him a pink slip, the local alternative weekly Cityview took him on (the front page even has a “Duffy Inside” logo that spoofs the Intel logo).

Lordy no. The Des Moines Register reports he and his picketed at Lincoln High School–and that students countered. Perhaps Phelps & Co. will grace our Pride parade again, like a few of the clan did when a local student won a Matthew Shepard Scholarship a few years ago (As I

Various figures reported. The Register says 150 in attendance; KCCI TV says about 100. After a nap, I’ve been having fun relying to some of the comments at the paper’s website–usual religious bigotry and homophobia present, but not in overwhelming proportions. Thanks to a Catholic education, I can quote Scripture

15 November, 2008 Dear Mom, I tried to bring this up during our last phone call, but the conversation went another way, as conversations are wont to do. The pressure of events moves me to return to it here, in a format that should minimize the drift. So I’ll tell

Though all the economic punditry has been going on at length comparing our present predicament to that which Americans faced in the 1930’s, the new President-Elect seems to prefer bringing up Abraham Lincoln. As it happens, I’ve been replaying my DVDs of Ken Burns’ The Civil War (not having the

In an effort to make some productive use of my insomnia, I’m dashing off another contribution to Mombian’s efforts against California’s Proposition 8. After giving the matter some thought, the only unifying theme I can muster is reflected in this diary entry’s title. Although the issue has been discussed and

Voiceover: “It’s the phone call every parent dreads.” Four people (3 women and one man) take urgent phone calls on their cell phones. They each leave their jobs to drive to the local hospital. At the hospital, the man and a woman meet, reach out to each other as they

The Des Moines Register endorsed Ed Fallon for Congress here in Iowa’s 3rd District. I had to read the piece twice.

As posted on the Iowa Democratic Party site:              District Convention Results April, 26, 2008                                 Clinton       Edwards       Obama        Totals District

So I applied to take the test for a job for USCIS (Citizenship and Immigration Services). I took the test, and sent off my resume and college transcript as requested. Of course I wonder about my prospect of getting hired, in light of the stuff I heard on PBS and