gdp's Comments

GazetteOnline.com : Worker dies from incident at Iowa law building

Wed, 1 Sep 2010 23:31:38 +0000

I have begun writing about this case and will continue over the hours and days to come. See, "Danger in the Workplace; Honoring Those Who Built and Build America," September 1, 2010 http://fromdc2iowa.blogspot.com/2010/09/danger-in...

GazetteOnline.com : Suspension lifted on Iowa film tax credit program

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:20:16 +0000

For a fuller discussion of the pros and cons on this issue (the cons, in general, of transferring taxpayers' money to the bottom line of for-profit corporations; and the possible pros of making an exception for the film industry), see "Iowa Subsidizes the Movie Industry -- A Good Idea? Movies Are Getting More Expensive And It's Not Just the Ticket and Popcorn Prices," Sept. 30, 2009, available at http://fromdc2iowa.blogspot.com/2009/09/iowa-subs...

GazetteOnline.com : Lab break-in charge pleases UI officials

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:14:41 +0000

As for "terrorism," for a couple pieces that condemn what have been called "terrorist acts" but also raise serious questions about the analytical utility of the word "terrorism," see "Rethinking Terrorism," March 2, 2002, available at http://www.uiowa.edu/~cyberlaw/writing/nlg0302.ht... and "General Semantics, Terrorism and War," September 8, 2006, at http://www.nicholasjohnson.org/writing/nysgs908.h...

GazetteOnline.com : Lab break-in charge pleases UI officials

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:56:02 +0000

There are a great many issues involved in this story, many of which are identified and commented upon in "UI Spence Break-In: Gazette Scoop Illustrates Issues," Oct. 27, 2009 (with updates through Nov. 20 and links to parties' Web sites) http://fromdc2iowa.blogspot.com/2009/10/ui-spence...

GazetteOnline.com : Legislators criticize trip to Disney center

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 21:50:03 +0000

Good editorial and comments. For more about the public relations, "patient satisfaction," alternative ways to deal with the problems, and questions about UIHC managment's judgment generally, see "Mickey Mouse Patient Satisfaction; UIHC's Troubles: Is Orlando the Answer?" Nov. 8 http://fromdc2iowa.blogspot.com/2009/11/mickey-mo...

GazetteOnline.com : UI Foundation plans to solicit donations from patients

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:45:55 +0000

For an analytical look at what's going on, what's wrong with it, along with some value judgments, written early this morning in response to the Gazette's scoop, but longer than will fit here, see "UIHC: 'Sick Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?'; A Check-In and a Check," October 31, 2009, 7:00 a.m. http://fromdc2iowa.blogspot.com/2009/10/uihc-sick... Congratulations to the Gazette on another scoop: getting it first and getting it right (most recent previous: the Spence break-in grand jury). I don't know which is sadder: that anyone at UIHC would try this in the first place, or that following exposure UI spokespeople would try to defend it (voluntarily, or because ordered -- rather than using the wisest public relations response: say "my bad" and announce the UI President killed the plan).

GazetteOnline.com : UI Foundation plans to solicit donations from patients

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:49:20 +0000

By late morning the Press-Citizen also had the story, including some new, pitiful quotes from UI spokespeople. I don't know which is sadder: that anyone would try this stunt in the first place, or that once it was exposed by the Gazette UI spokespeople would try to defend it (whether on their own, or worse still, because they were ordered by higher ups to do so -- rather than the UI taking its lumps, apologizing, and announcing the plan has been killed by the UI President). For an analytical look at what's going on, what's wrong with it, along with some value judgments, written early this morning in response to the Gazette's scoop, see "UIHC: 'Sick Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?'; A Check-In and a Check," October 31, 2009, 7:00 a.m. http://fromdc2iowa.blogspot.com/2009/10/uihc-sick... 10/31/2009 2:17:19 PM

GazetteOnline.com : Proposed 6 percent tuition hike for UI nearly double inflation

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:24:09 +0000

For an extended discussion of tuition levels and related Iowa budget cutting issues, see FromDC2Iowa.blogspot.com: "TARP Lessons for Iowa's Budget Cutters," October 23 (and more, linked from there) http://fromdc2iowa.blogspot.com/2009/10/tarp-less...