CEDAR FALLS — Gary Kroeger has a mind for murder. The veteran performer has created several original murder mystery events and one set in the 1920s will unfold Saturday at the Black Hawk Hotel, 115 Main St. “I’m a huge mystery fan and I’ve attended a few murder mystery evenings in recent years. I’ve thought they were lots of fun,” Kroeger said. “Generally, it’s just a game everybody plays and more or less, you’re playing ‘Clue.’ When hotel management asked me to design a murder mystery, I decided to do something a little different.” Murder Mystery Parties directly support the continued operati ..read more

The use of binary thinking does not presuppose that someone is simple and certainly not stupid. Binary thinking is the natural inclination to simplify in order to protect and explain ourselves. Religion is a binary system in that you either accept one specific set beliefs or suffer the consequences of being wrong according to that religion. Conservative socio-political thinking is also binary. It creates two choices. “You are for us or against us.“ No room for grey because that is not a safe space. Too many choices deviates from the principle binary code: there is only right or wrong. Never mi ..read more

It’s time to dispel the myth that one political party is the party of true, constitution-loving, patriots. Senator Britt in her kitchen table bedtime story underscored the idea that has been a primary talking point for Republicans – that they are the ones “steeped in the blood of patriots who overthrew the most powerful empire in the world.” Actually… it was the conservatives of that era who remained loyal to King George. But we won’t go there just yet. Republicans and Democrats as we know them today do not resemble the parties at the time of our revolution. More relevant today are the ideas b ..read more

As a writer it can be difficult to walk the line between providing information and from being simply a promotion. Providing information to enlighten a segment of society to something worth paying attention to, for the benefit of many, or being an advertisement for it, thereby, becoming less journalistic, is the path I walk here. You see, I’d like this article to be picked up as news. That’s a bridge a comedian can provide. John Poveromo is a stand up comedian who also has one of the best podcasts in the vast sea of podcasts, and it’s called “Dystopia Tonight.”  Each episode features ..read more

First of all, I don’t consider Jon Stewart one of the best political commentators of our time. I consider him thee best political commentator of our time. His mind is uniquely suited to frame complex issues with logical deductions from a common sense perspective and bring into focus the shortcomings and hypocrisies of policies and politicians. He dials up information from his oversized brain and compares outcomes faster than a bullet on a speeding train. I’d hate to be in an argument with him and fortunately I’ve never disagreed with any premise I’ve heard him espouse. Not until last week ..read more

Domestic violence is on the rise. So is bullying. So is murder in schools. The Center for Disease Control cites several factors including “cultural norms that support aggression, anger, and lack of non violent social problem solving skills.” It is easy to look around in our micro and macro worlds and see increased aggression. In my own experience I was accosted in a bar while minding my own business because a young man was so incensed that I could have the political beliefs he heard that I have. A mob of angry citizens stormed our Capitol to literally try to change fair election results. On a ..read more

There was no surprise last night when Trump won 98 of 99 counties in Iowa. That result was carved by the proverbial winds of populism for years already. Trump’s popularity is the result of decades of rhetoric that has taken attention away from the real threats in American lives and turned them toward made up bogeymen in order for the rich and powerful to continue raiding our pockets. That’s not hyperbole. It has been a well orchestrated indoctrination that is in its second generation. It is now so embedded that even the engineers of this fraud believe their own….bullshit. This right wing movem ..read more

On the birthday of Martin Luther King we should recall his most enduring speech; the historic “I Have a Dream” speech delivered in August of 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. King’s eloquent call for the end of racism in the United States, delivered to over 250,000 supporters, was a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement. That inspiration led King to become the century’s most iconic American civil rights leader and pacifist. In that spirit I want to share a dream that I had. I’m not being facetious. I have a recurring thought/dream to share as an olive branch toward the contenti ..read more

I’d like to share a Christmas story. When my eldest son, Chris (now 24), was only 3, his mother and I were moving our family from Los Angeles to Iowa when we stopped by a restaurant, owned by a friend, on our way out of town. I had lost touch with Seth, the owner, for several years but I wanted to visit what was once my favorite restaurant one more time. I knew Seth as a handsome, curly-haired and bearded man, but as we were seated we learned “Seth” was now “Cynthia.” Within a minute a tall women with long hair and a floral dress was bee-lining to our table. Her gait was clearly feminine; her ..read more

Last Sunday before church a couple of parishioners were seated in the back. We are a small congregation and we all know each other but on this day they seemed a little shy. The woman had abrasions all over her face. Her partner quickly informed me “It wasn’t me!” as I was obviously concerned. We are a very close knit congregation and we both knew I wasn’t thinking that but it was a way to bridge the surprise with an opportunity to tell the story. They explained they were strolling through downtown Cedar Falls on that uniquely Spring-like December day earlier in the week, walking their dog. She ..read more