July 15, 2015 by justin
in News of the Weird
It pays to fail
The enormous compensation CEOs of large corporations receive is justified, in part, by their bringing prosperity to their shareholders, but last year (an excellent one for most investors), two of the nation’s best-paid chief executives “earned” handsome raises despite presiding over losses: Philippe Dauman of Viacom Inc. (paid $44.3 million,
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July 15, 2015 by justin
in Joe's Neighborhood
Traveling and haircuts
After the haircut was complete, the barber bowed politely. I rubbed my head and gave a broad smile, hoping to convey my appreciation of a job well done. The haircut was tight, precise, and nothing out of place. I smiled again. Another bow… and then a young woman was brought
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July 15, 2015 by justin
in The Sound
War never changes
When talking about bands making it big outside of Iowa, people tend to pose the question like there is a large amount of luck involved. “Who will be next?” — as though it is a lottery. That, of course, completely overlooks the fact that there is a ton of hard
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July 10, 2015 by justin
in Uncategorized
P.O.D.: From boys into men
Since its formation in 1992, Payable On Death — more commonly known as P.O.D. — has benefited from a level of stability that can be difficult for many musical acts to maintain. In the 23 years of the band’s existence, there have been two lineup changes: bassist Traa Daniels joined
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July 08, 2015 by justin
in Cover Story
Murals of Des Moines
They can be found all over Des Moines. The downtown and East Village areas are peppered with spots of color that catch your eye as you drive past. Faces looking back at you, scenes lamenting times gone by, moments of creativity, stories of change, hopes of the future — all
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July 08, 2015 by justin
in On the Move
Hurricane Grill and Wings opens third Iowa restaurant
The island-inspired full-service restaurant Hurricane Grill and Wings recently opened at 3340 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines. It is the third location for franchisee Darin Beck, CEO and founder of Barmuda MMC. Hurricane Grill is known for more than 35 signature flavors of fresh jumbo wings, ranging from buffalo
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July 08, 2015 by justin
in Sound Check
Bilal “In Another Life” Entertainment One It almost seems like Bilal does not want people to like him as much as they should. Back at the turn of the 21st century, Bilal was coyly flirting with R&B while popular musical tastes were anywhere but. He has always been a talented
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July 08, 2015 by justin
in Book Review
‘The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey’
When Rinker Buck was a young boy in the 1950s, his father took him on a covered wagon trip “to see America slowly.” That trip was the seed that led to his book “The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey.” Buck and his brother, Nick, an experienced team driver, go
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Who knew? Candidates love the USA!
For a moment, on July 5, I longed for Nov. 9, 2016, the day after the presidential election. Then we’d be rid of insidious campaign ads, overblown rhetoric and questionable press coverage. But it dawned on me (1) at my age I should savor each day and not wish time
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