America in late May 2020 turned into a dystopian hellscape of grief, loss, and rage. A relentless global pandemic has killed over 100,000 U.S. citizens just since March; 40 million are on unemployment; a nation has been tense, restless and confused in shutdown, and 75 cities were plunged into chaos and violence this past weekend as thousands protested racial inequality and police brutality – including looting, rioting and death in Davenport late Sunday night. So, it is oddly comforting to find calm, methodical distraction in a new Netflix documentary that recalls a different kind of terror and... Read More

For the past few months, my Iowa friends have been deeply envious of my Illinois address. Not because of the upcoming legalization of pot, nor because of the lack of flooding, but rather because I don’t have to deal with the constant deluge of politics and politicians dumping on them. With everything from TV and radio commercials to rallies to appearances to door-to-door visits to telemarketing calls and polls, the good people of Iowa have been hit by an avalanche of politics in advance of the caucus next year. And regardless of anyone’s beliefs or sympathies towards any candidate, all of them... Read More