Crazy Californians Fight Over Paper Hats

From the Los Angeles Times:
Protesters descended Tuesday on Condit Elementary School in Claremont, tersely arguing over the construction-paper pilgrim and Native American costumes worn by kindergartners at a decades-old Thanksgiving tradition. Police were called to the school when tensions rose.
Officers also were monitoring Claremont Unified Supt. David Cash’s home after he received hate mail and [...]

Christmas Music, Love or Hate?

I’m thinking about columnizing on Christmas music.
What are your favorites? What do you loathe? Is there too much of it or not enough? Do you wear earplugs to the mall? How does music fit or not fit into your traditions?
Just curious.

Snow More Bragging for Bud Light

Bud Light is losing its world title, to a Chinese lager called “Snow.” From The Guardian:
The self-styled king of beers has been toppled by a drink that most Budweiser lovers have never heard of: Snow.
The ascension of Snow, which is expected to outsell world leader Bud Light this year, is due to the growing thirst [...]

Yepsen a Saluki?

The dean of Iowa’s political journalistas, The Des Moines Register’s David Yepsen, is among three finalists for a job at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. From the Daily Egyptian (the college paper):
Paul Simon described his public policy institute as a “do tank,” not a think tank.
The three candidates in the search for a new director [...]

DMR — Mari Breaks Chet’s Smoking Law

After being seen smoking by a Des Moines Register reporter in a state-owned vehicle (a “workplace” under the statewide smoking ban) Mari Culver owns up:
Iowa’s first lady admitted today that she smoked in a state-owned vehicle, breaking a law that her husband signed with fanfare in April.
The law bans smoking in most workplaces, including employers’ [...]

How I lost 20 Minutes

Reading a Slate article on mail carriers who hide mail to avoid delivering it.
Reading a Micheal Kinsley column urging us to let Obama smoke, for God’s sake.
Finding out what Nanobamas are.
Eating a Butterfinger.
Now, you try it.

Michelle O Taps Iowan as Chief of Staff

From the Washington Post:
Incoming first lady Michelle Obama has tapped Jackie Norris, President-elect Barack Obama’s Iowa state director to be her chief of staff. Norris, a high school government and history teacher and long-time Iowa Democrat, was former vice president Al Gore’s Iowa political director in the 2000 presidential campaign and was finance director for [...]

Who Will ‘He’ Be?

The Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission has offered its top job to its first choice. But who could the new executive director be? It is “he.” From this morning’s Gazette:
After 30 minutes in closed session, the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission voted last night to offer its first-choice candidate the position of executive director.
That person, [...]

New Senate GOP Team Springs into Action

So who’s the first target of the newly minted Iowa Senate Republican leadership team? Who is the first entrenched interest group to feel the steely wrath of its march back to the majority?
Why, it’s edgy teenagers.
From the desk of Minority Whip Steve Kettering, R-Lake View:
Minority Whip Questions State Funded Ads
JEL ads have negative effect on Iowa [...]

Every time a bell rings…

…the Iowa Lottery gets two bucks. From the lottery:
DES MOINES, Iowa – The Iowa Lottery is celebrating the classic movie “It’s A Wonderful Life” starring Jimmy Stewart and Iowa’s own Donna Reed with a new instant-scratch game and a contest that gives you the chance to win prizes by giving your best impression of the [...]