My ex-wife thinks I’m stupid. Okay, that, in and of itself, is not unusual; lots of people think I’m stupid. And when we’re talking about the perceptions of ex-spouses, I’m sure the incidence of perceived stupidity is high, but my problem is that my ex is pretty smart and so when she calls me “stupid”…
Category: Gary Kroeger
The End Of The World As We Know It!
You know those apocalyptic movies where the world is near extinction because we are being overrun by Zombies? They became Zombi-fied from a virus that is circumnavigating the world at an exponential rate. The movie will go back in time, briefly, to show us the unnoticed, seemingly insignificant, event that first sent the virus airborne into a lethal chain reaction. It’s usually something…
Mr. Kroeger Goes To Des Moines
Recently, I joined a group that was invited to the State Capitol to petition legislators during the 85th Iowa General Assembly and I must admit to being a bit awestruck. Even as a salty old wonk that has followed, written and lectured about government and civic duty for decades, I felt like a grade-schooler on a…
“Bring your brooms!”
I saw a commercial for Marty Huggins….I’m sorry! I meant Mark Jacobs, a Republican running for the senate seat about to be vacated by Tom Harken. In it he makes his case by saying that he’s been a businessman who has had to “make payroll” and has “balanced budgets.” That is the criteria that many Americans…
My Confession
I…am…a…hetero…sexual. There! I said it! You can’t imagine the relief. I didn’t choose to be this way, I just AM. Some fateful decision was made before I was born, not by me, but by whatever forces that conspired to create me, to make me straight. And somehow that choice is made for me every day because…
Nut Neutrality
How many of you are aware of an issue that’s been called “Net Neutrality”? If you aren’t already, it will be coming to your town soon—WHOA!- It’s already there! Quickly explained, “neutrality” is what has governed the Internet and that means basically–nothing. Internet content, and accessibility to it, has been on a neutral plane with…
My American Hero
In August of 2011 my family met in the Rockies to spread my Dad’s ashes in the mountains he loved. He had passed away 10 years earlier but it took that long for my brothers and our mother to coordinate schedules with our own children, work, and all that comes with adult lives. And, truth…
Ethics, Morality, Ducks and Doves
Because I am fairly vocal, people often ask me to participate in debates at the drop of a hat. Sometimes, I find myself in an area where I am woefully unqualified or not really prepared, but I often have a gut feeling that provides some indication to feel a certain way, and I’ll weigh in. Such was the case when the opening…
Twas the day after Christmas and all thru the house…
I’m always a little sad by Christmas afternoon. The tree will stay up another week, the same with the lights outside, but I have to be honest; rather than serve as low wattage, multi-colored beacons for the hope that Christmas brings, they become reminders that the day has passed and won’t be around again for another year.…
The Intention of Good Intentions
We, humans (at least the ones in Western Civilization) have a tendency to take a good idea, implement it, then forget its purpose and finally betray its intention. One of those good ideas was brought forth by the American Disabilities Act of 1990. ADA is a wide-ranging civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disabilities and it also…