My dad had me trying to poach deer at 14 years old. Shooting deer from the truck in random cornfields.

What do you all got?

June 14, 2024 Update:

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Raised in rural Iowa, 71-year-old Maureen Reeves Horsley once considered her tiny hometown in the northwest part of the state to be a blessed space. She recalls a time when the streams here ran clean and the lake water was clear.
The family farm where Horsley grew up was one of more than 1,200 farms in Palo Alto County in 1970. In her memory, the county’s 13,000 residents enjoyed a thriving agricultural-based economy and close-knit neighbors. Cows grazed in verdant pastures. And seemingly endless acres of corn marched to the horizon.
“We had good crops, corn and soybeans,” Horsley said of her family’s farm along the West Fork of the Des Moines River. “You could make it on a small amount of farmland. You felt safe. It was a good life.”

Two generations later Emmetsburg and Palo Alto County have been radically transformed into a place where many residents worry that the farms that have sustained their livelihoods are also the source of the health problems that have plagued so many families.

​

Horsley, a certified nurse practitioner who still lives in the county, is among many Iowa residents who ask whether the farms that make up the lifeblood of Iowa’s economy have become a source of disease and death due to the toxic chemicals and other pollutants indelibly linked to modern agricultural practices.

“We drank the water on our farm,” Horsley said in an interview. “My sister had breast cancer. She was only 27 when she died. She grew up here. My other sister had uterine cancer. As a nurse practitioner I’m aware of five people now with pancreatic cancer. I know 20 people who have other cancers or died of cancer here. Look at the obituaries in our newspaper. Everybody is aware this is going on.”





Chris Green’s husband died of brain cancer in 2019, as have several other people in and around her Iowa town.
Keith Schneider, The New Lede

Cancer concerns mounting​

Palo Alto’s 2022 tally of 842 farms generates nearly $800 million in annual market value. But nearly 400 small farms have been absorbed into bigger operations or otherwise stopped operating over recent decades, and Palo Alto’s population has dropped by 4,200 people since 1970.

Today’s Iowa farms are largely focused on raising hogs and growing corn, both of which are linked to numerous environmental problems. Farmers growing corn, for example, often rely heavily on applications of toxic pesticides and fertilizers, while livestock operations generate millions of tons of manure annually. The chemicals and manure pollute food and water consumed by people even far from farm fields.


When nitrogen from fertilizer and manure combine with oxygen they create nitrates, which routinely drain from farm fields into groundwater, streams, and rivers, contaminating water sources. Babies can suffer severe health problems when consuming nitrates in drinking water, and a growing body of literature indicates potential associations that include an increased risk of cancer. Exposure to elevated levels of nitrates in drinking water has been linked by researchers to cancers of the blood, brain, breast, bladder and ovaries.


As well, there are years of research showing that many herbicides and other pesticides applied to farm fields are linked to cancers and other diseases. The National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences have been funding research to investigate the links between disease and farming for more than 30 years, focusing their work on people in Iowa and North Carolina. Among the findings are links between pesticides and malignant brain tumors, multiple myeloma, pancreatic cancer and certain breast cancers.

Concerns about connections between the farm pollutants and cancer have been mounting, particularly in Palo Alto County, which had the highest incidence of cancer of any county in the state and the second-highest incidence of cancer among all US counties, with 83 new cases of cancer on average each year, in a population of 8,996, according to a 2023 report by US News.


The five-year incidence rate for cancer in Palo Alto County is 658.1, far higher than the national five-year average of 442 new cancer cases reported for every 100,000 people, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The concerns are not limited to Palo Alto County: Iowa has the second-highest and fastest-rising cancer incidence among all US states, according to a 2024 report issued by the Iowa Cancer Registry. Cancer incidence in Iowa stayed mostly steady from 2001 to 2010, then dropped briefly before starting an upward climb after 2013, according to federal data.



Medical experts and state health authorities say it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what may be causing the prevalence of cancer in Palo Alto and Iowa overall. But many residents believe there is little doubt that the answers lie in the tide of farm pollutants pervading the environment.
“We are so heavily into agriculture in Iowa,” said Horsley said. “Big chemical use. Big nutrient applications. What effect is that having on people? There needs to be more research on that.”

Gainbridge (based out of Indianapolis) has an endorsement deal with Caitlin. Now they are partnering with Iowa Athletics.

The release:

Spire Motorsports' Corey LaJoie will drive an Iowa Hawkeyes-themed paint scheme in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series’ Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway.

The No. 7 Gainbridge/Iowa Hawkeyes Chevrolet will feature black-and-gold striping with the Tigerhawk logo on the hood and the athletics website on the rear TV panel.

“The No. 7 is extra special this weekend as we bring together two unique sports properties from our portfolio and give Iowans a home-state car to pull for in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway,” said Mike Nichols, Chief of Sponsorship and Activation at Group 1001.

“From Caitlin Clark to now this, Gainbridge has stepped up to support Iowa athletics and we hope that all of Iowa will rally around Corey LaJoie and cheer him on to Victory Lane.”

“The NASCAR event at Iowa Speedway is a marquee event for the state and we’re thankful that Gainbridge is shining a big spotlight on Learfield and Iowa athletics,” said Gabe Aguirre, Vice President & General Manager, Hawkeye Sports Properties. “We’re all rooting for Corey LaJoie in that No. 7.”












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I've never been on one. Looking to cruise out of Galveston and we've received quotes for Harmony of the Seas (wowzers! what a big ship) and Carnival Dream. Want something family friendly as we're taking my 10 year old (he wants water slides on the pool).

Anything I should be looking for or avoiding?

Answer honestly because we already know which camp you're in. This is a self awareness test.

CAMP 1:


CAMP 2:


CAMP 3:

Who is eating this

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As a jury in New York continues to deliberate over whether to convict former president Donald Trump in his hush money trial, a newly released poll shows how its decision may impact the presidential race.


A NPR-PBS NewsHour-Marist poll released Thursday found that 67 percent of registered voters nationally said it made no difference to their vote if Trump is found guilty in the trial. Some 17 percent said they would be less likely to vote for the former president if he were to be convicted, and 15 percent told pollsters a guilty verdict would make them more likely to vote for Trump.
If Trump is found not guilty, 76 percent of voters said the decision would not impact their vote, 9 percent said they would be less likely to vote for Trump, and 14 percent said they would be more likely to vote for him.
The poll of 1,261 adults was conducted May 21-23 by phone using live interviewers, by text, or online. Results across the sample’s subset of registered voters (1,122 participants) have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

How Iowa's new-look offense draws inspiration from Green Bay Packers: 'We're running the Shanahan system'​

The 2024 season is one of big, exciting changes in the Big Ten. The conference will add a western wing this summer, with USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington growing the number of schools in the league to 18. Everywhere I go -- around family, friends, or strangers who find out what I do for a living -- I get asked how excited I am about the changes.

I tell them the truth. I'm not as excited about the additions as I am intrigued by them. It will be interesting to see how the additions shift the landscape of the league, but even that's limited because I'm fairly confident they won't be the last additions in the near future.
The one thing that excites me -- but nobody ever asks about it-- is the new-look Iowa offense.
Yes, I'm a man of unique tastes. The Big Ten has four new teams? Cool. Ohio State is acquiring an incredible amount of talent this offseason that could set the Buckeyes up for years? Neat.

But have you heard that Iowa's going to be running far more pre-snap motion? That's change! That's exciting! When it comes to the changes supposedly coming to Iowa City, I'm trying to maintain an "I'll believe it when I see it" attitude. But the more I read and hear, the more I buy into the idea that it's actually happening.
Take this column from the Des Moines Register's Chad Leistikow about former Iowa running back and current running backs coach Ladell Betts. Of note, Iowa's staff and new offensive coordinator Tim Lester visited the Green Bay Packers, where Lester previously served as a senior analyst. The emphasis is mine:

"[Lester] was 100% the catalyst. It was good to see that, too," Betts said. "A guy that only spent one year somewhere, he was so well-received when we went in - from the players to the coaches. It just shows me that he must have made an impact. They clearly remembered who he was. That's a good sign that you're dealing with a great guy."
Team visits are common in the offseason. For example, Ferentz has taken staff to New England Patriots practices in the past. Iowa once visited Georgia football practice to get a window into how the Southeastern Conference powerhouse operates. This particular visit was beneficial because, as Betts said, "We're running the Packers' system. We're running the Shanahan system."

Click to expand...

What's that? Iowa will be running the Packers' system? The Shanahan system? Does that include pre-snap motion?

"The bread and butter of it is the run game. It all centers around the run game," Betts told the Register. "But I think the biggest takeaway is how much consternation can we give the defense? How off-balance can we keep the defense? There's going to be a lot of motions. A lot of shifts. A lot of pre-snap changes with the alignments."

I appreciate Betts saying "consternation." It's a good word that needs to be used more often, much like pre-snap motion for the Iowa offense. My problems with Iowa's offenses weren't strictly related to the style of play. I have no problem with multiple tight end sets and smashmouth football. My problem was how easy the Hawkeyes made things on opponents. They lined up and ran the play.

Hearing that the Hawkeyes plan to use more pre-snap motion was a jolt to the system. Motion before the snap is not some newfangled discovery. It's a basic concept teams have used for a long time to force a defense to declare itself and make life easier for the quarterback. How infrequently did Iowa use motion last season? According to TruMedia, only 22.9% of the time; it ranked No. 12 in the Big Ten and No. 112 nationally.


Compare that number to Michigan, another offense that played "smashmouth" complementary football on offense. The Wolverines used pre-snap motion 59.7% of the time. That was the second-highest rate in the country, behind only Florida.

The point is not that motion fixes an offense; however, it can make life easier for an offense, confuse a defense, and (as Michigan so excellently showed us last year) it can be run by a team looking to maul you more than run past you.

Maybe, just maybe, Iowa will do it, too.

He just maybe back in play, appeal is still open

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!

Deplorable:

Congressional Republicans returned to Washington this week doubling down on their defense of former president Donald Trump after his conviction on 34 counts related to falsifying business records.
Releasing a flurry of initial reactions in the hours after a New York jury deemed Trump a felon last week, his staunchest supporters are focusing on what they allege is a weaponized justice system by ramping up House investigations and stalling regular business in the Democratic-led Senate.


Cut through the 2024 election noise. Get The Campaign Moment newsletter.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) broadly outlined a “three-pronged approach” Tuesday during a weekly conference meeting on how the Republican majority can target the Justice Department, New York and other jurisdictions for investigating Trump — vowing to use House oversight powers while cutting funds in the government appropriations process and taking other unspecified legislative measures.



“We’re going to do everything we can, everything within our scope of our responsibility in the Congress, to address it appropriately,” Johnson said at his weekly news conference afterward.

One of Trump’s staunchest allies is readying a more aggressive approach. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has threatened to file a resolution before the week’s end to impeach President Biden. Greene left a Tuesday meeting with Johnson demanding “in the loudest most possible way” that he allow the House a vote on removing Biden or she will force such a vote.
Across the Capitol, a faction of 11 conservative senators led by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) pledged to slow down Senate business by voting against all of Biden’s judicial and political nominees and refusing to speed up consideration of any “Democrat legislation.”



House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) condemned the Republican plans to start investigations of the prosecutions of Trump, who is also charged with election interference in Fulton County, Georgia as well as federal charges related to allegations of mishandling classified documents and seeking to overturn the 2020 election.
“You had 12 jurors come to a unanimous conclusion, and the former president was guilty of 34 felonies, and that, that somehow is indication of weaponization when that was a state prosecution that had nothing to do with President Biden or the Department of Justice,” Jeffries said. “The American people understand that we need more common sense and less chaos in Washington, D.C.”
The historic verdict against a former president has cemented support from Hill Republicans, who have cast doubt on the fairness of the judicial system as they frame the convictions as an abuse of power and a threat to U.S. democracy ahead of an election. Though a majority of Republican lawmakers across the ideological spectrum have condemned the verdict, some worry that the ferocity of the denunciations will erode trust in government and the courts.



Republicans pointed out several reasons they have vigorously come to Trump’s defense in the New York case, in which Trump as found guilty for covering up a hush money payment used to obscure an alleged affair from voters in 2016. Several noted that New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) campaigned for his current job by stressing successful lawsuits against the Trump family.
“This was never about what President Trump did or didn’t do, it’s about who he is,” Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) told reporters on Tuesday. “He’s the leading Republican candidate for president and the Democrats have made it clear that they will stop at nothing, even if it means weaponizing our justice system and trampling on the rule of law to try and prevent him from getting to the White House again.”


Several House Republicans, from the most conservative to moderate, said their backing of Trump is based on how their constituents reacted. Some, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly, said that they issued statements in fear of how his base would react if they stayed quiet.



Trump has animated his loyal base of voters by painting himself as a martyr and repeatedly suggesting that if the Biden administration and judicial system were not coming after him, they would go after his supporters. Congressional Republicans say that message has been effective, deeply resonating with constituents back home.
“This is less about Trump and more about America,” said Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.). “This is beyond Trump. [Democrats] have used Trump to weaponize the court system, and then it could be us. It could be anybody.”
Johnson has yet to provide specifics on investigations or measures that might be pursued, which many Republicans took to mean that announcing his plan was more a statement of commitment to Trump than a fleshed out strategy.

It was unclear how the House could seek to cut spending for states through the appropriations process, which funds the federal government. But it has become a talking point for far-right lawmakers that was on display during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday.


Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) accused the Justice Department as colluding with the New York district attorney’s office, and blaming Attorney General Merrick Garland, without evidence, of fueling conspiracy theories by withholding information about alleged communications.
“We do not control those offices. They make their own decisions,” Garland responded.
There is no evidence that the Justice Department was involved in the New York case. In two federal cases regarding Trump’s handling of classified documents and his alleged role in trying to overturn the 2020 election, Garland appointed special counsel Jack Smith in an effort to insulate the department from the investigations.

The Justice Department is also prosecuting Biden’s son, Hunter, on tax evasion charges and allegations that he lied about his drug use when buying a gun. The latter case is currently underway at a trial in Delaware.


Even so, several swing-district House Republicans applauded Johnson’s ambition to continue investigating any potential links in light of the verdict.
“It’s not a political thing,” Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.) said of ongoing investigations. “It’s right and wrong. We’re umpires here and we have to call balls and strikes. When see something that looks like it was done for political purposes with a lot of conflicts and a lot of sort of jurisdictional issues, we have an obligation to look at it.”


Rep. John Duarte, who is one of the most vulnerable Republicans in California, said he’ll be speaking “quite firmly against this prosecution” back home because immigrants from Central and South America who now live in his district are appalled that the U.S. government is acting like the banana republics they grew up in.



Other vulnerable swing-district Republicans have refused to comment on Trump’s verdict. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) put out a statement last week lamenting that the “national narrative continues overshadowing the kitchen table issues” her constituents are discussing, while Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) deflected directly answering questions by noting that a “pretty diverse range of commentators” say Trump’s case is ripe for appeal.
“Every person is doing their own thing,” said Rep. David G. Valadao (R-Calif.), a vulnerable incumbent who voted to impeach Trump. “I’ve chosen to stay completely out of the presidential race. So I’m not taking a position on anything.”
Some members lamented how aggressively Johnson and other Republicans have defended Trump while attacking the judicial system.

“The concern I have for the future of our country right now is that we have become so divided along partisan lines and this whole notion that we’ve weaponized government, I think it’s a challenge for us as a nation,” one conservative House Republican said.


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Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) — a moderate who voted to convict Trump in the past — is one of the few Republicans who has said publicly that the verdict is politically unpalatable for the party. “These distractions have given the Biden campaign a pass as the focus has shifted from Biden’s indefensible record and the damage his policies have done to Alaska and our nation’s economy, to Trump’s legal drama,” she wrote on X last week.
Still, Republicans appeared unsure whether they should focus on what they are casting as the unfairness of the prosecution ahead of 2024, when voters have pinpointed immigration and the economy as their major issues. Swing-district House Republicans did not sharply criticize Johnson for having the conference focus on addressing the weaponization of government, but warned against making that the only issue Republicans vote on ahead of the election.
“My voters don’t want to focus on these issues,” Garcia said. “They’re all less interested in the drama at the national level and they’re just trying to make ends meet within their own lives.”
More conservative lawmakers expressed the opposing view. Asked whether Republicans should focus on the verdict in their 2024 messaging, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) argued “One of the biggest threats to democracy is the politicization, corruption of our justice system.”

Listing prospects that Iowa has reached out to today, as it's junior contact day.

Offered
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8:00 curfew for young people being proposed.

Unbelievable violence.

Surprised so many of you actually got laid but Happy Father's Day to you all!

Early season cold weather may have played a part, but there could be other factors at work. What does Fangraphs say about it lol?

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2018/06/14/major-league-baseball-attendance-continues-to-fall/

Looks like Biden made it illegal to prevent trans men from competing against biological women in sports. Of coarse he did not send this to congress, because he knew it wouldn't pass. He just used an executive order.

Biden is the biggest threat to real women, I think most sane people realize this. The left have lost their damn minds.

"Prohibit discrimination against LGBTQI+ students, employees, and others. The rule prohibits discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics in federally funded education programs, applying the reasoning of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County. Protect people from harm when they are separated or treated differently based on sex in
school.

The final regulations clarify that a school must not separate or treat people differently based on sex in a manner that subjects them to more than de minimis harm, except in limited
circumstances permitted by Title IX. The final regulations further recognize that preventing someone from participating in school (including in sex-separate activities) consistent with their gender identity causes that person more than de minimis harm. This general nondiscrimination principle applies except in the limited circumstances specified by statute, such as in the context
of sex-separate living facilities and sex-separate athletic teams."

PSA. YTTV has featured group coverage.

This is what came up when I searched swinger.
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Trump said he was going to build a wall...

Trump said he was going to make economy great....better under Biden

Trump said he never sexually assaulted anyone....courts say different

Trump called America's fallen suckers and losers


This is not hard. Get to work. Not online. On TV. On radio.

Good for her. Keep it up.

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