aCEDAR RAPIDS FLOOD

We are located at the top of the city in the woods. Everything works but cable television . Last night, the family packed sandbags with hundreds of others to protect the last water generator. The other 3 are flooded. If you go to GAZETTEONLINE.COM you will see most of the flooding. For those of you faraway, imagine that the center of your business trade center or downtown is filled with water. We have something like 15 feet in the central business district.

Cedar Rapids is a water and woods city and there are bridges everywhere. In fact, the city hall is on an island. Many of our characteristics are like those of Wisconsin and Minnesota as well as states like those two. The flat farmlands often shown on television are in the middle of the state. On the western ridge of the state is the Missouri and that area is filled with bluffs, lakes, oxbows, and pretty lowlands. The eastern portion is us. We have bluffs, rolling hills and lots of water. Wisconsin in a little over an hour from us

With a new 4 lane that has been built. There are lots of bed and breakfeast inns in the area.

At any rate the entire state in portions here and there are flooded and we probably have it the worst. We have numerous creeks that feed into the area as well as the Cedar River and the Iowa River. A few days ago, waters were high and there was low land flooding but all of this was workable. However, one of the levies broke and the game was over.

About two hours ago, the flood crested so one might surmise that things will get better. However, this is worse than the 93’ flood and after it was over the city spent a great deal of money increasing the size of the levies, bridges, and the gutter system. Unfortunately, we have a 500 year flood. So it means that we will have to refurbish and refortify the city. It is pretty and the location is ideal.

As this is being written, all the emergency measures and all the people involved doing something is just incredible. Iowa is known for being nice and quiet. We are  also an incredible city and we are linked along the corridor to the every growing North Liberty and Iowa City.

Cedar Rapids and its folks came together and it will take weeks if not years to rebuild.

That means the city will probably even prettier. Come see us sometime, but just not at this moment.

TIM RUSSERT JUST DIED

RUSSERT WHO FREQUENTED BOTH NBC AND MSNBC died of a heart attack. We will miss him. He was like a neighbor. The electronic media can fool you. Russert may have been in your homes nightly, but most of us never have met him.

NEWSWEEK/(2008) 6/16

Miller/16

Gays, bi, transgender clubs are not accepted but tolerated in Christian moderate colleges. No official recognition is given.

SMALLEY & THOMAS/ 31-33

Losing a major national office is like a walking death. Gerald Ford disappeared for a week. Al Gore went under the radar, grew a beard and gained some weight after winning the popular electin and losing in the electoral college. Jimmy Carter became a shrunken man, but turned his blues into work, because he was broke. Regardless of party, it hurts real, real bad to lose. McGovern and Mondale did the worst. Both lost almost all the states in the Union. Mondale asked McGovern when do the blues go away? McGovern who lost 12 years earlier said I will tell you when I get better.

ROMANO/ 37

Nate Silver has a gift. Looking at a demographic data, Silver does something that no one knows, except that he is right. He prediction for this time is that there will be a 50-50 tie and it really comes down to Omaha , Nebraska. If Obama wins Omaha, the vote then goes to the House of Represenatives. They pick the new winner.

In development is a bacterium that eats CO2 and make fuel. It will not effect food stock and is easily distributed. See this story on page 40 / NEWSWEEK/ “A BUG TO SAVE THE PLANET.” See also THOUGHTCASTING: U R SO VAIN. PAGE 56.  Both TWITTER and TUMBLER will publish your thoughts in so many words. It get kind of dangerous.

NEW REPUBLIC (2008) 6/25

GOLDBERG/39-41

 Feminism is in a crisis. Why did Hillary lose? Sexism. However, others disagree. Young women also see other dimensions because they didn’t have to fight the original battles.

BUSINESS WEEK (2008) 6/16

AMERICA’S BITTERNESS QUOTIENT

75% do not believe that the American dream is attainable as it was 8 years ago. (19)

Up to a point, when there is a crisis and someone with a “babyface” is the best to represent a company with the public. (20)

Berner and Grow (70-79)

There is a growing conflict between credit card companies and consumers. Business Week puts its money on the Banks to win.