My friend Mark wrote a poem entitled “The Need For Speed” in a literature class in high school. It was about the thrill he felt when opening the throttle while riding his snowmobile.
I don’t remember Mark’s exact words, but I do remember those of our teacher, Mrs. Rosonke. She wrote on his paper, “You are scaring me!” She clearly never felt snow hit her face at 55 mph, or smelled fuel as it burned out of the exhaust, or experienced a tickle in her stomach when going airborne over a snowdrift. Yes, there is something truly satisfying about speed, at least for some personalities.
Mark wrote his paper sometime around 1986. That was about the same time the original “Top Gun” movie was released in theaters. You may remember Tom Cruise’s character, Maverick, saying, “I feel the need ...” and Anthony Edwards’ character, Goose, replying with “... the need for speed!” I am not sure who coined that phrase first, Mark, Maverick or Goose, but it doesn’t matter. They all enjoyed the satisfaction felt when hitting high speeds.
I saw a similar reaction to Mark’s when I put my teenage daughter on a jet ski for the first time. She had her driver’s permit, but I had to push her to take the test. Like many youth of today, she was not in a hurry to drive. But, on the open water, without fear of hitting anything, she opened the throttle on that jet ski, and she smiled from ear to ear while her hair blew in the wind. I had to peel her hands off the handlebar grips.
I have the need for speed as well. Motorcycles. Snowmobiles. Boats. Cars. ATVs. Anything with a gas engine that can build up speed gives me a rush. Even a chainsaw. Maybe, fortunately, a few speeding tickets in my younger years and a steep increase in my insurance rates helped curtail much of that fascination.
Meanwhile, it is important to note that the need for speed is not all about putting the pedal to the metal. Going fast, for many, is a personality. A lifestyle. A mindset. And, for the rest of us — including Mrs. Rosonke — an entertaining read.
Have a thoughtful Thursday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com
See Shane Goodman's other columns here. |
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Clear Mortgage meteorology
A great stretch of weather ahead. Rain chances in southeast Iowa this weekend.
For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage. |
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A little arsenic with your drink? Ankeny Community Theatre opens the classic dark comedy, “Arsenic and Old Lace,” this Friday, Sept. 27. For director's interview, visit here. For info and tickets, click here.
2024 Art Harvest Tour – “A Weekend in the Country, I’m excited*”
Sept. 28-29, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free self-guided tour of 22 artists at 11 unique studio locations. The tour is held annually the last full weekend in September. Enjoy the beautiful fall weather and scenery as you visit the studios and galleries of the area's best artists. In addition to enjoying the studios, you'll see a much wider selection of the artists’ work, and great prices and specials, too. A number of artists will be demonstrating their work as well. There will be around a dozen stops on the approximately 90-mile loop around the beautiful Des Moines River Valley. Several locations will be hosting multiple artists. This lets us include artists without sufficient studio space to host, as well as keeping the number of stops manageable so you can do the tour in an afternoon.
*A tip of the hat to Stephen Sondheim’s song in “A Little Night Music.”
AMES TOWN & GOWN’S 75th CHAMBER MUSIC SEASON – INNOVATES, EDUCATES, AND CELEBRATES
Ames Town & Gown Chamber Music Association’s 75th season is sure to thrill audiences with its combination of internationally renowned performers and local talent. The concert season features five unique concerts that are both exciting and innovative in their programming, Town & Gown has shown that chamber music can be grand in scope, while intimate in scale. The opening concert will be a CELEBRATION IN SONG, featuring three winners of the prestigious Young Concert Artists International Vocal Competition: Chelsea Guo, soprano/piano; Erin Wagner, mezzo-soprano; Joseph Parrish, baritone; and pianist Ye Ik Kwan. The concert will take place Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at ISU’s Martha-Ellen Tye Recital Hall.
Appearing at Beaverdale Books Though Sept. 26, 6:30 p.m. Nina Lohman’s “The Body Alone: A Lyrical Articulation of Chronic Pain” is a masterpiece exploration of this topic and a critical read for those coping with their own chronic pain or wanting to understand what those who suffer this condition face.
Second Annual Banned Books Fair, sponsored by Beaverdale Books. Sunday, Sept. 29, noon to 4 p.m. at the Franklin Events Center. Private, pre-release screening of the award-winning film, “Banned Together,” featuring a diverse cast of visionary teenagers and intriguing characters, stirring public protests, private threats, criminal charges, and profanity-laced school board meetings. All events are free and open to the public. Use the south or east doors to enter Franklin Event Center.
— John Busbee, The Culture Buzz
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| Featured in this month's CITYVIEW magazine | | | FEATURE STORY
Fall Arts & Entertainment Guide
By Cyote Williams
The leaves are changing, and temperatures are falling. But that doesn’t mean central Iowa stops being the place to see beautiful art galleries, watch jaw-dropping theatrical performances, hear live music from the area’s and world’s best musicians, cheer on the best up-and-coming young talents and experience community, cultural and food festivals… and so much more. Keep this guide with you all season long and see how much you can experience. | | | READ MORE |
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The 2024 results ...
CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines® | | | Best Local Landmark
1. Iowa State Capitol
2. Pappajohn Sculpture Park
3. Gray’s Lake Bridge
Read all the 2024 results.
Cast your votes in the 2025 Best Of Des Moines Poll now! Open until Nov. 22. Results to be published in the February 2025 issue of CITYVIEW.
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| Featured home for sale | | |
$1,195,000 1574 334th Road, Madrid, IA 50156
Welcome to this extraordinary 6.24-acre estate, a unique gem with breathtaking views of the Des Moines River Valley and stunning birds-eye views of the High Trestle Trail Bridge. This luxurious home features 5 bedrooms and 5 baths, offering ample space for comfort and elegance. As you enter, you'll be captivated by an open staircase, beautiful hickory flooring, 25-foot ceilings, and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the natural light.
See the listing here.
| | | See More Homes For Sale |
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| SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction | | | 2000 N.W. 100TH ST., CLIVE
SALE DATE: 2024-06-20
SALE PRICE: $2,800,000
SELLER: ETERNITY CHURCH
BUYER: REVISION CHURCHA
ACRES: 6.879 |
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The world's new top real estate investment town is no longer in America. In a story by Yuko Fukishima, NHK revealed that Tokyo has overtaken New York, London and Los Angeles to become the world’s top recipient of foreign investment in real estate. Explanations suggested that Japan’s low borrowing rates and its high percentage of post-COVID workers who have returned to the office, rather than working remotely, have attracted investment shifts away from U.S. and European cities.
Strange bedfellows of politics - 2024. Wall Street Journal reported on the irony that has aligned super right forces like Big Oil, with super left groups like Save the Whales. The cause? Stopping the proliferation of wind turbines on the East Coast particularly when they obstruct the view of super rich people from Newport to the Hamptons.
Thursday specials
• Irina's Steak and Seafood (650 S. Prairie View Drive, West Des Moines) offers a steak special with choices on Thursdays. Choose one: prime filet mignon, New York strip or baseball cut sirloin, plus one selected side, $25
• Sirloin steak dinners are featured specials today at Sully's Irish Pub (860 First St., West Des Moines), Front Row (9956 Swanson Blvd., Clive), and Winn’s Pizza and Steakhouse (122 W. Ashland Ave., Indianola)
Thursday nights, Moroccan couscous — lemon chicken, beef keftas, five vegetables, harissa — are $17 at Purveyor (505 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines)
• Eastside Eddie’s (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines) Thursday special is a hot beef sandwich with green beans, $10
• Sprockets (2314 University Ave., Des Moines) offers a breaded pork tenderloin special on Thursdays for $9.99
• Aussie pies, savory and sweet, at St. Kilda's Collective (333 Fifth St., Valley Junction) farmers market stall are good deals at varying prices. Indoors, Thursday's happy hour brings gargantuan $12 fried cod sandwiches, plus cheeseburgers, Cubanos, chicken sandwiches and veggie burgers
• Kids eat free at Scornovacca’s (1930 S.E. 14th St., Des Moines) on Thursdays
• Mariscos El Pirata (6050 S.E. 14th St., Des Moines) offers $2 off all sushi on Thursdays
• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) offers 20% off all frozen foods through Tuesday.
• Chuck's (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines) has karaoke tonight from 6 p.m.
• ShortE's BBQ (8505 Chambery Blvd., Johnston) has $1 smoked wings Thursdays.
• Cyd's Catering has a new football "pre-game meal deal" that includes crudité with tomatoes, shrimp cocktails, corn chips and three dips, bourbon meatballs, dry rubbed chicken wings and fudge brownies to feed four - $100.
• Price Chopper stores are selling chicken hindquarters for $.69/pound, frozen catfish nuggets for $2.29/pound and frozen tilapia for $3.99/pound through Monday.
• Aldi stores are selling Michigan Gala apples at $1.89 per three-pound bag; pumpkins for $4.49 each; St. Louis pork ribs for $2.49/pound; and USDA Choice briskets for $5.79/pound, all through Tuesday.
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
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| Featured in the current issue of West Des Moines/Jordan Creek Living magazine | | | Meet Audrey Kennis
New director, human services and inclusion
By Jackie Wilson
A new human services director hopes to create a community of care, where residents rally together to care for one another.
Audrey Kennis was recently named director of Human Services and Inclusion for the city of West Des Moines. She replaces longtime director, Althea Holcomb, who retired.
Kennis is well-versed in serving West Des Moines residents. She was previous director of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) for WDM. In her new role, she explains why DEI and Human Services merged. | | | READ MORE |
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FROM KCCI: Investigation finds Des Moines officers 'justified' in fatal shooting. DES MOINES, Iowa — Two Des Moines police officers were justified in using deadly force when they fired at a man aiming what appeared to be a firearm at the officers after leading them on a brief pursuit on the city's southeast side in July. ...READ MORE
FROM WHO-TV: Des Moines Police, Fire respond to rollover crash on I-235. According to Des Moines Police, a large truck crashed and rolled in the eastbound lanes of I-235 near 7th Street. Police said injuries were reported, but did not specify how many or the severity. ... READ MORE
FROM WOI-DT Local 5: Local prison union calls for prison reform following alleged inmate assault. AFSCME Council 61, who represent some correctional officers, said an inmate allegedly assaulted two officers on Monday, leaving one with serious injuries. ....READ MORE |
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| Weekly fuel report | | | The price of regular unleaded gasoline rose 7 cents, averaging $3.04 across Iowa according to AAA. The price is down 67 cents from a year ago. The national average on Wednesday was $3.21, down 1 cent from last week’s price.
Retail diesel prices in Iowa held steady this week with a statewide average of $3.34. One year ago, diesel prices averaged $4.32 in Iowa. The current Iowa diesel price is 25 cents lower than the national average of $3.59.
Wholesale ethanol held steady and is currently priced at $2.16.
Natural gas prices rose 52 cents at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $2.83/MMbtu. |
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ESPN: Forecast washes out 2 games of Mets-Braves; doubleheader Mon. ...READ MORE
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Josh Allen Clarifies Comment That Was Perceived As a Jab at Stefon Diggs ... READ MORE
CBS Sports: Matthew Sluka leaves UNLV: NIL collective denies offering $100K to QB, school calls demands 'implied threats' ...READ MORE |
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1960: Kennedy and Nixon square off in first televised presidential debate ... READ MORE
1820: The famous frontiersman Daniel Boone dies in Missouri. On September 26, 1820 the pioneering frontiersman Daniel Boone dies quietly in his sleep at his son’s home near present-day Defiance, Missouri. The indefatigable voyager was 86. .... READ MORE
2005: IRA officially disarms. Two months after announcing its intention to disarm, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) gives up its weapons in front of independent weapons inspectors. The decommissioning of the group's substantial arsenal took place in secret locations in the Republic of Ireland. One Protestant and one Catholic priest as well as officials from Finland and the United States served as witnesses to the historic event. ... READ MORE
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| Birthdays and notables | | | These celebrities were born on this date: Walker Bryant, Serena Williams, Alisha Weir, Zoe Perry, Christina Milian, Zach Top, Linda Hamilton
SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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The answer to yesterday's riddle:
Why do bakers share their recipes with some bakers but not others?Tomlinson. IT IS ON A KNEAD TO KNOW BASIS! - Gail Tomlinson
Today's riddle:
What was the baker left with after decades of baking?
Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or Johnston Living magazines, contact:
Andrea Hodapp
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 322
Mobile: 515-883-0523
andrea@iowalivingmagazines.com
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