en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/654692 Comments by Rob42 http://bigjournalism.com/benjohnson/2010/04/14/msm-fallback-position-conservatives-are-always-racists/#IDComment68291515 Speaking as a supporter of Obama who isn't behind the Tea Party movement ... I still have to say, that YouTube video from 2004 just makes me cringe. Benny, idealogically we may not agree -- but you are absolutely right that any claims against the other side should be backed up with real evidence, and a lot of folks on both sides fail to do that. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:18 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/benjohnson/2010/04/14/msm-fallback-position-conservatives-are-always-racists/#IDComment68291515 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/85605067.html#IDComment59027809 Just for the record, Theatre Cedar Rapids was not even in the 500-year floodplain. It's right outside of it. Tells you something about just how severe the flooding of '08 really was. Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:49:00 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/85605067.html#IDComment59027809 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/02/21/theatre-cedar-rapids-returns-to-bigger-better-space-downtown#IDComment58268387 While it's true that the majority of people would rather watch TV, eat junk food and do nothing to better themselves or their community, that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. If these people were in charge, society would never advance, nothing new would ever get invented, cities wouldn't be built and quality of life would just keep dropping until everyone thinks that there's nothing more to life than a free meal at Applebees. Fortunately, there are enough people who care about their community that they carry everyone else along. Someone needs to do something to help downtown. Will the theater do it? It's definitely going to help more than a gift certificate to Applebee's will. I for one am pulling for this to make a difference. Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:20:07 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/02/21/theatre-cedar-rapids-returns-to-bigger-better-space-downtown#IDComment58268387 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/02/21/theatre-cedar-rapids-returns-to-bigger-better-space-downtown#IDComment57980748 Have you tried rush tickets? They are $12 half an hour before the show -- barely more than a movie ticket, and less than half the price of a regular seat. It's a really good alternative for people who can't afford to pay the regular price. Also, as the other poster said, volunteering as an usher is a great way to see the show for free. Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:56:12 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/02/21/theatre-cedar-rapids-returns-to-bigger-better-space-downtown#IDComment57980748 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/81828657.html#IDComment52478514 The show has no agenda, other than to closely examine the details of a tragedy that received major media attention a decade ago. The "plot" is that in the wake of Matthew Shepard's murder in 1998, a group of ten writers travel to where it happened in order to interview the residents of Laramie, Wyoming about how the tragedy affected them as a community. It asks why this happened. It also researches the details of the crime, including interviews with the people who initially found Shepard on the fence; the investigative team; the doctors in the hospital; and employees at the bar where the killers originally met Shepard. The play gives voice to people who think the case was way overplayed in the media. It also gives voice to those who say the case inspired them. Most importantly, it shows how a community comes together -- gay, straight, religious, agnostic, old, young, whatever -- in the face of a terrible tragedy. That's something that a lot of people in Cedar Rapids can empathize with, regardless of any sort of political leanings or personal prejudices. Hope that answers your question. Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:36:28 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/81828657.html#IDComment52478514 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/81828657.html#IDComment52477083 Yes, "The Laramie Project" was being performed by TCR for the first time, but it has received a number of Iowa productions. Along with Kirkwood and Ames, it's been produced in Des Moines, at Cedar Rapids Kennedy and others. In fact, Westboro Baptist Church was in Iowa eight months ago to protest Marshalltown Community Theatre's production of the show last summer. That's why their threat to protest in Cedar Rapids was taken so seriously. If they came to Marshalltown less than a year ago, why would we have any reason to suspect that they were bluffing about coming to Cedar Rapids as well? Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:25:47 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/81828657.html#IDComment52477083 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/11/17/little-caesars-return-to-cedar-rapids-brings-crowds-excitement#IDComment43842004 Normally it might not be that big of a deal, but in a city that was devastated by a flood and in an economy that gets worse and worse -- yes, a story about a new business opening up is a pretty good thing to have happen. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:36:23 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/11/17/little-caesars-return-to-cedar-rapids-brings-crowds-excitement#IDComment43842004 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/11/17/little-caesars-return-to-cedar-rapids-brings-crowds-excitement#IDComment43841656 I am a liberal, I love America and I am thrilled that Little Caesars is back. Oh, and I can't stand foie gras. I am elitist that way. :) Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:34:58 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/11/17/little-caesars-return-to-cedar-rapids-brings-crowds-excitement#IDComment43841656 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/11/17/little-caesars-return-to-cedar-rapids-brings-crowds-excitement#IDComment43840882 Ummm ... you consider that refreshing? What a ray of sunshine for Cedar Rapids recovery you must be. I congratulate Little Caesars too, but what a rude thing for you to say. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:31:50 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/11/17/little-caesars-return-to-cedar-rapids-brings-crowds-excitement#IDComment43840882 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/featured-local-news/2009/11/09/ramblin-veterans-leave-memoirs-before-they%e2%80%99re-gone#IDComment42645341 I appreciate what you are saying, but at the same time, I kind of cringe whenever someone says that a veteran won't talk about what happened in war because he chooses to be "humble." That implies that if a veteran DOES talk about his experience, he ISN'T humble. And that couldn't be further from the truth. A few years ago when I worked as a newspaper reporter, we interviewed 50 different WWII veterans for a series in Central Iowa soldiers. They told their stories with difficulty, but at the same time, with pride. Mind you, they were humble men. But they wanted to honor the soldiers they'd served with, especially the ones who never came home. I completely agree that these men are forever heroes. Some may be reluctant to revisit those days. Some may find it too painful, or be unable to put it into words. But "humble" isn't the word I'd use for why they don't talk about it. I had the honor of telling the stories of some of the bravest -- and humblest -- men I have ever met. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:17:07 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/featured-local-news/2009/11/09/ramblin-veterans-leave-memoirs-before-they%e2%80%99re-gone#IDComment42645341 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/09/11/8-years-after-911-some-setting-aside-grief-and-moving-on-2#IDComment33979940 Weren't you the one mocking The Gazette yesterday over how you couldn't find "grobing" in any dictionary you looked in? Because I can't find "JOURNALISIM" in any dictionary I look in. Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:35:02 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/09/11/8-years-after-911-some-setting-aside-grief-and-moving-on-2#IDComment33979940 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/entertainment/featured-entertainment/2009/09/09/video-altar-boyz-behind-the-music#IDComment33889495 One other thing -- as for "disproportionate amount of press," all The Gazette did here was make a link to an entertaining and comedic video that TCR staff and volunteers worked hard for weeks to create. The theatre made this video, not The Gazette. I am sure The Gazette would post similar videos from a professional local theatre or other arts organization, if they created one. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:45:35 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/entertainment/featured-entertainment/2009/09/09/video-altar-boyz-behind-the-music#IDComment33889495 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/entertainment/featured-entertainment/2009/09/09/video-altar-boyz-behind-the-music#IDComment33889464 I'm sorry, but what you are saying just isn't true. While TCR may be a community theatre, it employs a large number of professionals. In addition to a full-time artistic director, technical director, costume designer and education coordinator, TCR also contracts with professionals throughout the artistic community for choreography, classes, music direction and more. TCR also hires professional musicians for its orchestras, contracts with professional set designers and makes many other contributions to the professsional artistic community. TCR has partnered with organizations like SPT Theatre in the past, and it was a home for the professional Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre until the flood. (It will be again once the location downtown is rebuilt.) And while TCR's onstage performers are volunteers, a fair amount of them have professional training or backgrounds -- and many continue to perform with professional organizations like SPT Theatre, Riverside Theatre, the Old Creamery and Iowa Theatre Artists Company when they aren't on the TCR stage. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:45:16 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/entertainment/featured-entertainment/2009/09/09/video-altar-boyz-behind-the-music#IDComment33889464