en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/509088 Comments by ZeroDebate http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/breaking-news/2010/09/15/fema-says-building-library-on-truenorth-site-costs-too-much#IDComment99068855 Moving all of the books upstairs was my first thought when I saw aerial video of the flood waters hitting the library. But it was later revealed that the 2nd floor wasn't capable of holding anywhere near that kind of weight. Thu, 16 Sep 2010 03:19:00 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/breaking-news/2010/09/15/fema-says-building-library-on-truenorth-site-costs-too-much#IDComment99068855 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/city-room/2010/07/19/long-planned-transformation-of-sandpit-off-otis-road-se-into-lake-and-trail-is-just-about-here#IDComment97339953 It sounds like we still have a few weeks to wait for the opening. I'm looking forward to taking my daughter fishing here as soon as it opens. Mon, 6 Sep 2010 20:29:01 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/city-room/2010/07/19/long-planned-transformation-of-sandpit-off-otis-road-se-into-lake-and-trail-is-just-about-here#IDComment97339953 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/government/2010/08/25/council-votes-6-3-to-close-a-piece-of-second-avenue-se#IDComment95158244 This won't hurt traffic in the least. The people complaining clearly don't ever spend time downtown anyway. Bring on the progress! Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:03:57 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/government/2010/08/25/council-votes-6-3-to-close-a-piece-of-second-avenue-se#IDComment95158244 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/statewide-news/2010/05/28/iowa-math-teacher-fired-for-not-believing-in-god#IDComment77578308 This would be an entirely different story if this had been a public school. Sat, 29 May 2010 02:15:31 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/statewide-news/2010/05/28/iowa-math-teacher-fired-for-not-believing-in-god#IDComment77578308 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/24-hour-dorman/2010/05/25/downtown-cr-lunch-open-thread#IDComment77175995 I often crave shawarma wraps from Pita'z in the Armstrong food court. Wed, 26 May 2010 11:03:01 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/24-hour-dorman/2010/05/25/downtown-cr-lunch-open-thread#IDComment77175995 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/city-room/2010/03/04/council-will-lessen-security-charges-to-make-sure-freedom-festival-fireworks-return-to-the-downtown#IDComment59726019 Great news! Thu, 4 Mar 2010 11:55:44 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/city-room/2010/03/04/council-will-lessen-security-charges-to-make-sure-freedom-festival-fireworks-return-to-the-downtown#IDComment59726019 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2009/11/30/library-returns-to-downtown-cedar-rapids-but-users-scarce#IDComment45330019 I think the biggest problem with the downtown branch is its hours of operation. 9-5 and closed on weekends? I'd love to take my kids there more often, but those hours are quite restrictive. I understand the library has budget concerns, so I'm not faulting them for not being open all day. But why not 11-7 and a skeleton crew for a couple of hours on weekends? Despite this, I still go here more than any other library location. I love having a centralized location downtown, even now that I don't work in that area anymore. Tue, 1 Dec 2009 00:18:58 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2009/11/30/library-returns-to-downtown-cedar-rapids-but-users-scarce#IDComment45330019 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2009/11/30/library-returns-to-downtown-cedar-rapids-but-users-scarce#IDComment45329338 The Green Square Park area is perfectly safe. And after years of working and shopping downtown, I've never had park far from where I was going (except the Fourth of July). People never cease to surprise and confuse me with their fear of downtown. Tue, 1 Dec 2009 00:12:34 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2009/11/30/library-returns-to-downtown-cedar-rapids-but-users-scarce#IDComment45329338 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/government/2009/10/27/library-board-has-mixed-feelings-about-co-location-of-new-library-and-city-hall#IDComment40967605 The areas they are considering are safe enough, in that they weren't flooded in the 2008 flood. Westdale would be terrible, as it's out on the edge of the city. Keep the main branch centrally located and place a small branch in the Westdale area like it used to be. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:41:08 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/government/2009/10/27/library-board-has-mixed-feelings-about-co-location-of-new-library-and-city-hall#IDComment40967605 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/24-hour-dorman/2009/10/22/column-relevance-of-libraries#IDComment39925454 E-book readers will definitely change how libraries FUNCTION within the next 50 years, but NOT make them IRRELEVANT. Even if everybody owns a cheap e-reader, the copyright holders (publishers, authors, etc.) still won't want people to be able to read things for free. We'll need a library to provide a vehicle for the community to purchase e-books and other not-free media (digital magazines and electronic newspapers) to share amongst the members of the community. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:47:05 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/24-hour-dorman/2009/10/22/column-relevance-of-libraries#IDComment39925454 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/09/21/poll-iowans-split-on-gay-marriage-ban#IDComment35326013 It's a shame your comment got voted down. More and more people are seeing things your/my way and realizing that the government should have nothing to do with marriage (straight, gay, etc.) Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:22:49 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/09/21/poll-iowans-split-on-gay-marriage-ban#IDComment35326013 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/08/31/a-cleaner-cedar-rapids-1-butt-at-a-time#IDComment32688379 This, along with your other 'My point here is" post, I agree with. My comment that was sent to moderation-limbo mentioned this: I think when people litter candy wrappers, pop bottles, etc they know they're doing something wrong and don't care. When people litter bu -tts, I think a good portion of them don't realize that it's not just going to disintegrate and disappear overnight. A campaign against normal litterers would have to say "You know it's wrong, knock it off" where as an anti-bu- tt campaign could boil down to "Did you ever stop to think about what this does?" Maybe I'm being naive. Still, I agree that it's unfair to focus on smokers' liter while ignoring the rest. Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:54:02 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/08/31/a-cleaner-cedar-rapids-1-butt-at-a-time#IDComment32688379 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/08/31/a-cleaner-cedar-rapids-1-butt-at-a-time#IDComment32687084 It's easy to make fun of "Vanessa" on her shopping trip. But what about pro--smoking-rights dad taking his little girls downtown for ice-cream and constantly having to stop his 1-year-old from picking up spent cigarettes littered all over the sidewalk? Making people resent smokers is no way to drum up more support to overturn the ban. Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:38:30 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/08/31/a-cleaner-cedar-rapids-1-butt-at-a-time#IDComment32687084 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/08/31/a-cleaner-cedar-rapids-1-butt-at-a-time#IDComment32686796 My last response is awaiting moderation. :-P Anyway, you and I both know there was plenty of cigarette littering before this unjust ban. I understand it contributes to an increase, but it's not the sole reason. I think a lot of smokers just don't realize how big of a nuisance the litter can be, so I'm all for attempts to bring it to attention. If you want to protest the ban, there has to be a better way than throwing stuff on the ground that the rest of us (who may even been on your side against the ban) have to deal with. Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:34:50 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/08/31/a-cleaner-cedar-rapids-1-butt-at-a-time#IDComment32686796 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/08/31/a-cleaner-cedar-rapids-1-butt-at-a-time#IDComment32684294 Smokers were littering the streets, sidewalks, and parks/grass with cigarette bu tts long before the indoor smoking ban. Sure, it contributes to an increase in littering, but it's not the sole reason the problem exists. Littering smokers (not to be confused with responsible smokers) should own up and take some responsibility instead of blaming their laziness and disrespect for their fellow citizens on the (admittedly unjust) ban. Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:22:50 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/08/31/a-cleaner-cedar-rapids-1-butt-at-a-time#IDComment32684294 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/08/31/a-cleaner-cedar-rapids-1-butt-at-a-time#IDComment32680400 Littering isn't a civil right; it's illegal and rude. Yes, it sucks that you can't smoke inside. I'm 100% on your side there. But smokers should be expected to dispose of their trash just as everybody else is. (And yes, I know idiots litter downtown and the rest of the city with non-smoking trash too... but they usually know they're being bad when they do it; many smokers are ignorant of how permanent and numerous their bu tts are.) Your addiction doesn't excuse you from disposing of trash properly. Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:52:06 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2009/08/31/a-cleaner-cedar-rapids-1-butt-at-a-time#IDComment32680400 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/24-hour-dorman/2009/08/18/column-dead-mall-drama-wont-die#IDComment31103686 Touché! Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:35:18 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/24-hour-dorman/2009/08/18/column-dead-mall-drama-wont-die#IDComment31103686 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/24-hour-dorman/2009/08/18/column-dead-mall-drama-wont-die#IDComment31091583 Having all of the offices in a shopping mall is tacky (of course, that's never stopped the uncultured masses of Cedar Rapids before). Also, Westdale is anything but centrally located. Do we no longer care about growing the city by encouraging people to move here? "Well, we looked at moving to Cedar Rapids, but after their big floods they just moved everything out to rundown buildings at the edges of the city and now it kind of sucks." Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:52:54 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/24-hour-dorman/2009/08/18/column-dead-mall-drama-wont-die#IDComment31091583 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/43075477.html#IDComment18850932 You make a valid point about the YMCA. Although (and I know you'll correct me if I'm wrong), isn't the city planning to develop levees to prevent a future flood from causing damage of this magnitude? It sounds like work is planned to make downtown safer from floods. I love the library too; my young daughter and I were devastated when it was destroyed. But part of its greatness involves it being centrally located. If we can minimize risk of more flood damage, I don't see any need to stick it out on either edge of town. If it weren't for the comments I've read here and at the Gazette, I would have had no idea that there are people who stay away from downtown because of parking. I work downtown, and I live only a few miles away from it as well. All my neighbors, co-workers, and friends appreciate it when a business is located downtown. I'm confused as to why some people hate downtown parking so much. The only complaint I have is having to pay for a meter when it's not the evening or weekend. The furthest I've ever had to walk from my parking spot to a downtown business (when it's not a special Holiday event) is a block (which really doesn't FEEL much longer than the trek across the Target parking lot), and I usually CAN park right in front of a given business. I understand and accept that a significant portion of Cedarrapidians avoid downtown for a variety of reasons. I just don't share those reasons. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:55:40 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/43075477.html#IDComment18850932 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/43075477.html#IDComment18850120 I agree that a thumbs down is practically worthless without an explanation. I also agree that seeing comments promoted when they're nothing but offensive is frustrating. I still see value in demoting comments that add nothing to the discussion, such as our little side conversation here or your calling people cowards for not explaining why they disagree with you. I'm glad people can vote without commenting, and I'm glad you can complain about that if you chose to do so. An open system like this is fun. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:34:17 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/43075477.html#IDComment18850120