gdp's Comments

GazetteOnline.com : City seeks fund for underpass for Collins Road NE at Lindale Mall

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:11:37 +0000

Probably the right time to be thinking about this. As opposed to after the road construction.

GazetteOnline.com : Czech Village neighborhood deemed not historical; demolition to start

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:29:21 +0000

And let's not forget the 1st St. Parkade. It is apparently more historically significant than Czech Village.

GazetteOnline.com : Use of ICPD’s new riot gear sparks emotional debate

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:14:49 +0000

I don't think riot gear for IC police is a problem. I saw Cedar Rapids police come to a house down the street in riot gear and remove like 12 people from the home. I didn't think of it as overboard at the time. I believe Iowa City has the potential to have much more of a riot, especially since people may be upset about recent legislation, etc. I did hear about some (as described to me) unnecessary tasering during the Iowa State game, though. I also witnessed IC police officers walking into people's back yards on Melrose Ave, house after house, checking on the parties. It gave me a bit of a twitch.

GazetteOnline.com : Culver supports expanding smoking ban to casinos

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:51:47 +0000

I guess what I'm saying is that if there is a need for a smoke-free casino, the market will make it so. The government need not.

GazetteOnline.com : Six things to do this weekend

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:17:51 +0000

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee 7:30pm Fri 7:30pm Sat Theatre Cedar Rapids http://www.theatrecr.org

GazetteOnline.com : Cedar Rapids flood replacement housing projects to get $18 million

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:44:27 +0000

Your post made me think about something. I venture to guess that all of the multi-family apartment complex things that are going up downtown are replacing the affordable homes that were lost in the flood? If so, it seems to me that they are trying to increase the population density downtown, on the east side of the river. If they do that, it would definitely help reach their downtown economic development goals. *shrug* A musing on the topic.

GazetteOnline.com : Flood-affected businesses to receive additional funds from federal government

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:33:40 +0000

Good job, Corbett! The "duplication of benefits" thing always rubbed me the wrong way. It always seemed to me that our most proactive businesses that came back quickly (out of their own pockets) are just as deserving of the aid money available as the businesses that waited.

GazetteOnline.com : Culver supports expanding smoking ban to casinos

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:05:05 +0000

Not a smoker but smoking is legal. Since we have this wonderful gift of freedom, if I don't want to enter a smoky place, I don't have to. Same thing applies for employees of the establishment. They aren't being forced to work in a place that allows smoking. All these arguments have been recycled time and time again, so they are almost futile. The important thing I see in all of this isn't even related to smoking. It's a philosophy that runs counter to the idea that we have free will and that we have this life with what we can do what we want. It also runs counter to the philosophy of not allowing legislation to dictate our every move. I don't believe the TRUE problem here is that smoking is dangerous for the smoker (if that were the case alcohol would be illegal), I believe this legislation is targeted at the non-smoker that doesn't want to breath the smoke or smell like smoke. In that case, I say exercise your freedom and don't enter the building. If you want to legislate around an experience that a business provides you, you are whining.

GazetteOnline.com : Cleaning up comments online

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 14:03:50 +0000

Ok... beyone what's right or not TwoCats and 2point, I believe you are being overly sensitive to this issue. You need not take things so personally. Even though you may believe you are, you are not 100% right and you could solve the problem by working on something inside of yourselves. Or you could complain loudly and make your issue everyone else's issue as well. See the danger in it? I see you two as a similar danger to this online community as the users that your are speaking of.

GazetteOnline.com : Cleaning up comments online

Wed, 8 Sep 2010 00:10:25 +0000

2point, truth hurts. We all hear that and it's true. I would much rather be exposed to utterly blatant, utterly painful truth than the alternative. The way I see it, if you take offense to something that comes from another, you've either provoked it or it's completely absurd. If it's absurd, it shouldn't hurt you. If it is provoked... well... you're on your own... A dose of truth, just so people can make up their own opinion about the comment you are speaking of. Here is the article with comments that 2point is referring to: http://gazetteonline.com/opinion/letters-to-the-e...

GazetteOnline.com : Cleaning up comments online

Tue, 7 Sep 2010 23:54:57 +0000

I imagine the small change I proposed could take care of the "hook nosed..." post you were the victim of. So now let's talk about the 'Yes' portion of getting truer feelings out of people. Wanna keep the benefit in place?

GazetteOnline.com : Cleaning up comments online

Tue, 7 Sep 2010 19:45:54 +0000

It's just not interesting... nor do I think it's appropriate... but that's another thing entirely. Getting back to this column, how about this as a counterpoint? If you have anonymous posting in place, you get one really interesting benefit. People just may express truer feelings. We then get to learn about these opinions. I'd just put something in place that lets admins delete worthless garbage that is unrelated to the story itself.

GazetteOnline.com : Cleaning up comments online

Tue, 7 Sep 2010 19:33:45 +0000

Onwards, Jennifer. Two derisive columns about the users in a row... you have more to say about other things. I have definitely enjoyed and learned from your insightful posts.

GazetteOnline.com : My Alma Mater's New Pitch: Pass/Fail?

Sun, 5 Sep 2010 20:46:45 +0000

Or it could be an epic dumpshow of a fail, masquerading as irony. Something to the effect of "uhh... Drake starts with D... uh huh... a plus makes it better... uh huh!" That may be the source of the polarization. I would think that if Duke tried it the place would be burned to the ground.

GazetteOnline.com : Nearly 150 ticketed near Kinnick

Sun, 5 Sep 2010 19:34:05 +0000

150 alcohol violations and only 1 OWI. If this is truly a safety thing, where are the priorities?

GazetteOnline.com : State spent nearly $30 million on overtime

Sun, 5 Sep 2010 19:26:35 +0000

'Gov. Chet Culver said a drop in overtime at a time when the state has reduced staffing levels indicates state government is well managed.' vs. 'Ross Eisenbrey, vice president of the Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan group in Washington, D.C., said such excessive overtime indicates poor management of the work force.' Sounds to me that all of that overtime could have been transformed into more jobs. Not taking administrative costs into account, 600 $50K / year jobs. Now if Culver expects the economy to tank or otherwise foresees access to less money, it may be a fine position. Then he can just cut down on overtime and absorb some of the force of the blow without having to pay for people to be fired.

GazetteOnline.com : Tailgating rules change, doesn’t change spirit

Sun, 5 Sep 2010 18:34:17 +0000

I was just wondering if we could still walk around with beer. I guess I got my answer. Now why can't we anyway again?

GazetteOnline.com : Police arrest three men in prostitution investigation

Sun, 5 Sep 2010 18:30:39 +0000

I totally agree with you. (if you assume I'm a liberal... you are assuming...) See my response above to LordGrendel. BUT... about posting mugshots in the paper. Doesn't that seem a bit like it's become "guilty until proven innocent?"

GazetteOnline.com : Police arrest three men in prostitution investigation

Sun, 5 Sep 2010 18:01:38 +0000

Drug addiction, economy, and laziness. That all? I don't believe that neatly sums it up. Nor can ANY of those items be solved with legislation. I say legalize and regulate. Move the Johns off of the street by allowing them to have access to an official prostitution facility. Continue to make arrests for unauthorized prostitution in public and the problem on our streets is cut to a tiny fraction of what it is now. I have no hope that prostitution will ever just go away. It's what happens when capitalism and nature mix. (now that I'm thinking about it, any legislation that goes against the way nature works seems pretty silly in general)

GazetteOnline.com : Pole dancing studio opening in Cedar Rapids

Sat, 4 Sep 2010 17:54:11 +0000

Time will tell. I applaud her for making her dream a reality.