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Maria Houser Conzemius

B.A. English lit., College of Arts & Sciences, Cornell U., 1972. MSW, Univ. of Iowa, 1992.
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Blog Posts

Iowa City Community School District and Board Are Masters of Bait-and-Switch Salesmanship to Raise Funds (Blog) (in Iowa City Patch)

The ICCSD's staff & school board's bait-and-switch salesmanship betrayed taxpayers who voted first for the SILO tax & then for the new Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS) in early 2013.

National Public Radio Asks If Obama Is Suffering from the 'Second-Term Curse'

Don't call the scandals plaguing the Obama administration "the second-term curse" as though the president is neither responsible nor accountable for his and his administration's mistakes.

The 5/14/13 Jail vs. No Jail Meeting Turns into John Etheredge vs. Democratic Jo. Co. Supervisors, Sheriff (in Iowa City Patch)

The new jail vs. no-jail people don't seem to be getting anywhere since they are diametrically opposed. Criminal justice reform needs to happen before any new jail or court rooms are built.

Spotted a Rose-Breasted Grosbeak at Our Bird Feeder! Our Backyard Upgraded from "Abandoned Lot" or "Floodplain" to "the Edge of a Forest" or "Park" (in Iowa City Patch)

Birds value our yard more highly than before. Goldfinches prefer "abandoned lots." We have goldfinches. Rose-breasted grosbeaks prefer "the edges of forests" & "parks." We have one!

The New "Justice" Center Bond Fails to Achieve a Super-Majority Vote of 60% for the Second Time (in Iowa City Patch)

I voted "no" on the new jail, presumptuously called the "Justice" Center, and I'll do it again in March unless the people responsible for what passes for justice change their ways.

It's a Hard Rain Gonna Fall; Our Little Girl Is Growing up and Moving Away (in Iowa City Patch)

Our graduating senior is moving to Davenport today. She'll be back and forth at odd hours till she graduates, and then she'll be in Davenport. I'm going to miss her lots, but I'm happy for her.

The Would-Be New "Justice" Center Is Not the Only Alternative: Vote "NO" on Tues., May 7th (in Iowa City Patch)

Segregated neighborhoods, segregated schools, and unsustainable wages are no way to keep the marginal among us out of jail. Do we really want a new jail as the town's center?

The Team Tallywhacker Ride Was Harrowing But Fun; We Lived to Bike Another Day! (in Iowa City Patch)

The Tallywhackers (pictured here, from left: Matt, Danielle, Dave & Casey) planned a grueling ride, but we did most of it and lived. No more death traps! We want to live to bike RAGBRAI!

Fox News Declines in Ratings: Sean Hannity Down by 50% & Bill O'Reilly Down by 26% After 2012 Election

Is the GOP propaganda machine declining in popularity as fast as Fox News? Can Republicans keep being "the stupid party," as Gov. Bobby Jindal put it, and still win elections?

The Best Moment Following the Boston Marathon Bombings Was the Unanimous Cheer for Law Enforcement and Boston (in Iowa City Patch)

Boston was united in celebration that the bombers' reign of terror was over. At least Americans can come together and agree on something some of the time. We treasure those moments.

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