I love a parade. And why not? The bands. The fire trucks. The costumes. The candy. And, yes, the politicians. But despite the abundance of the last one, I still love a parade.
While attending a recent parade, I noticed a typical sight of hundreds of kids waving their arms in the air, hoping to have candy thrown to them from parade participants. I also noticed smaller kids picking up the candy remains on the street that the big kids missed, kind of like larger animals getting first dibs on the prey while the smaller predators hang around for what’s left. Kind of, without all the blood and bones. Hopefully.
Aside from those morbid thoughts, I noticed how each kid carried a plastic bag to gather the candy in. Skittles. Dots. Jolly Ranchers. All the good stuff. I wondered what kids collected their candy in before these plastic bags were readily available. And I pondered when tossing out candy became a staple in most parades.
According to deseret.com, candy became part of parades in the 19th century. The website says throwing candy originated in New Orleans as part of the Mardi Gras celebration in the early 1870s when the king of the parade threw small treats from his float. Kids loved these candies, and adults did, too — and still do.
But what about the plastic bag? The one-piece polyethylene shopping bag was designed by engineer Sten Gustaf Thulin and patented by the Swedish company Celloplast in 1965. This plastic bag quickly began to replace cloth and paper bags and is now found most everywhere, produced at a rate of up to one trillion bags per year. That’s a lot of plastic.
I attended plenty of parades in my youth and gathered much candy, but I don’t recall what I stored it in. Paper bags? Plastic ice cream pails? Old pillow cases? Or maybe I just ate the candy as quickly as I picked it up. Probably the latter, along with less candy likely being offered.
Meanwhile, there is certainly no shortage of candy — or plastic bags — at our many parades today. With these plastic bags seemingly never biodegrading, we are creating an environmental concern that needs to be addressed. But, until then, kids (and some adults) seem to put the ones we have to good use as candy holders.
See you at the next parade.
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 previous columns here. |
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Clear Mortgage meteorology
Clouds and a little drizzle are possible the first half of the day today. Friday and Saturday will be amazing with sunshine and mid to upper 70s both days. A little breezy on Friday. Next rain chance comes Monday.
For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage. |
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| Featured in the August issue of CITYVIEW | | | FOOD DUDE
Lucca finds its ‘sweet spot’
By Jim Duncan
Lucca just turned 20 years old. It has nurtured some of the city’s very best chefs and restaurateurs. Owner Steve Logsdon brought David Baruthio (Baru66 and four other places) here from France when he opened. Derek Eidson (Django and Guesthouse Supper Club) followed him. Logsdon is a James Beard Best Chef Midwest semifinalist himself. His brother, Joe, who makes Lucca’s bread, is a James Beard National Best Pastry Chef semifinalist. Steve began his career in a similar incubator for talent. He worked the kitchen with George Formaro and Chuck Fuller at Mike Lavalle’s City Grille. ... | | | READ MORE |
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CENTER STAGE - A weekly update about cultural happenings in Central Iowa.
Service announcement for Iowa State Fair-goers: Please consider parking at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 738, the old fire station at 2801 Dean Ave. At $4, it's a bargain plus they will drop you off and pick you up at the gate. This Post does a majority of the military funeral honors at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery, and this is their biggest annual fundraiser to support their worthy mission, and your support is appreciated.
Des Moines Performing Arts – “Squonk Brouhaha.” Aug. 9-11. FREE FAMILY EVENT at Cowles Commons, downtown Des Moines.
The Lyceum Movement – Tallgrass: The Des Moines Festival of Ideas. Aug. 9-10. With roots traced back to ancient Greece, the Lyceum Movement’s 19th century history included such great orators and idea people as Mark Twain, Frederick Douglass, even Abraham Lincoln. Civilly broaching important issues of our time is vital to successfully moving into the future, and Tallgrass: The Des Moines Festival of Ideas bring speakers, panelists, and those wishing to engage in meaningful action together. Interview with Des Moines coordinator Joe Carroll here.
IN Tandem Arts & Authors Gallery and Bookstore – “Wings of Enchantment” Trunk Show. Through Aug. 10. Louise Mcilhon’s new jewelry collection features cicadas and butterflies in wearable art through a process called copper electroforming.
Okoboji Writers Retreat adds major musical focus to immersive event
Make plans to attend the 2024 OkobojiWriters' Retreat and its newest addition, the Okoboji Songwriters Retreat. Critically acclaimed, with attendees often returning for more, this event will be held at the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory and the Presbyterian Camp at Lakeshore Center, which is adjacent to Lakeside Laboratory on West Lake, Okoboji.
The annual Okoboji Writers’ Retreat, Sept. 22-25, will now feature workshops for songwriters on topics such as Storytelling through Song, Nashville Bound, ‘Collaboration, and The Business of Being a Musician. Producer Julie Gammack is offering a special rate for those signing up for the songwriters workshop - only $395. To learn more about the event, visit https://okobojiwritersretreat.com/
— John Busbee, The Culture Buzz |
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| CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines® | | | The results have been tallied and published in the February issue of CITYVIEW and online!
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Puppies and kids go together like peanut butter and jelly. Photo by Paul Houston |
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World shipping costs have risen 326% since Houthi attacks on merchant vessels began last year. Those mostly unpunished bombings have transferred freighter traffic from the Suez Canal and Red Sea to around the Cape of Good Hope, a many weeks longer trip. Europe, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan and economically devastated Sri Lanka have been the hardest hit, but costs have been passed on to consumers everywhere. Is this the makings of the strangest ever military alliance to take out the Houthis? Saudi Arabia wouldn’t mind a bit either. (WSJ)
Artificial salmon? Leonardo DiCaprio, a critic of salmon farms, is backing a space age solution to dwindling salmon populations. It involves neither fishing nor farming. He is an investor in Wildtype, which is growing fish cells in steel tanks and developing cell-cultivated salmon meat at what it calls a "pilot fishery" in San Francisco. “This facility looks just like a neighborhood microbrewery, except we grow salmon cells in our tanks instead of beer,” Wildtype says in a press release.
Deals today. Irina's Steak and Seafood (650 South Prairie View Drive, West Des Moines) now offers a USDA prime version of steak night. Choose a filet, New York strip or sirloin with a side for $25... Ribeye sandwiches are tonight's feature at The Station on Ingersoll (3124 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines), and chicken fried steak or liver and onions dinners are at Mickey's in Yale (217 Main St., Yale)... Firecracker shrimp are $6 on Thursdays, and five pasta dinners are just $12.99, including fettuccine chicken Alfredo, at Bianca’s Grill & Vineyard (410 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny)... Bordanaro's (6108 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) has a Wednesday-Thursday only special on carryout pizza. They start at $6.50 for a 10-inch cheese pie. Each ingredient added is an extra charge, but this pretty much adds up to half-price pies... Red Lobster (3838 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines) offers a Thursday special of Maine lobster tail with shrimp scampi and a side for $20... Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) offers Coho salmon filets for $4.99/pound, USDA prime T-bones for $12.99/pound, and organic blueberries at $1.49/pint. All are best prices in a long while. Through Tuesday... Cheesecake filled French toast with fresh berries and strawberry syrup joins watermelon lemonade as summer specials at Cracker Barrel stores.
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
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| Featured home for sale | | |
$1,700,000 4516 N.E. 78th Ave., Bondurant, IA 50035
In-town acreage/equestrian paradise located just minutes from I-35 and on pavement. No gravel roads to get here. This gem is any horse lover's dream property combining the perfect mixture of acreage and equestrian amenities. This immaculate home was featured as the 'Prettiest Farm in Iowa' in the Our Iowa magazine....
See the listing here.
| | | See More Homes For Sale |
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| SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction | | | 1001 DART WAY, DES MOINES
SALE DATE: 2024-05-06
SALE PRICE: $33,330,000
SELLER: CITYVILLE ON 9TH II LLC
BUYER: CITYVILLE IOWA OWNER LP
ACRES: 7.058
SQUARE FEET: 291,854 |
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| From the August issue of Johnston Living magazine | | | Singing with legends at the state fair
Johnston Middle School choir to perform onstage with Foreigner
By Darren Tromblay
A group of 18 soon-to-be sophomore boys from Johnston High School are busy preparing to take the stage Aug. 9 at the Iowa State Fair.
But this isn’t just any stage. This is the big one. The grandstand stage. And there’s another catch — they’ll be accompanying none other than the rock group Foreigner, one of classic rock’s most iconic bands.
Jorie O’Leary, vocal music instructor at Johnston Middle School, says the excitement level is off the charts.
[...] | | | READ MORE |
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FROM KCCI: 'I've never seen anything like it': Jasper County dog facing serious injuries after being rescued from park. ...READ MORE
FROM WHO-TV: One injured in shooting on northwest side of Des Moines. .... READ MORE
FROM WOI-DT Local 5: Sheriff's office: Crash in Bondurant leaves motorcyclist in critical condition. ...READ MORE |
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| Weekly fuel report | | | The price of regular unleaded gasoline fell 1 cent, averaging $3.23 across Iowa according to AAA. Prics are down 44 cents from a year ago. The national average on Wednesday was $3.46, down 3 cents from last week’s price.
Retail diesel prices in Iowa fell 1 cent this week with a statewide average of $3.50. One year ago, diesel prices averaged $4.04 in Iowa. The current Iowa diesel price is 29 cents lower than the national average of $3.79.
Wholesale ethanol held steady and is currently priced at $2.16.
Natural gas prices rose 2 cents at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $2.08/MMbtu. |
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ESPN: U.S. exits beach volleyball in Paris sans medal after men's QF loss. ...READ MORE
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Quincy Hall Adds to American Trend of Come-From-Behind Wins on the Track. ... READ MORE
CBS Sports: USA Women's Basketball Handles Nigeria 88-74. ...READ MORE |
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1988: Lights go on at Wrigley. On August 8, 1988, the Chicago Cubs host the first night game in the history of Wrigley Field. The first-ever night game in professional baseball took place nearly 60 years earlier, on May 2, 1930, when a Des Moines , Iowa, team hosted Wichita for a Western League game. ... READ MORE
1988: Gangsta rap hits the mainstream with the release of N.W.A’s “Straight Outta Compton." As of 1988, the top-selling hip hop albums of all time were Run D.M.C.’s Raising Hell and the Beastie Boys’ License to Ill, both released in 1987 and both selling millions without ruffling many feathers. In June 1988, Public Enemy released It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back, an album that broke new ground both musically and lyrically with its richly layered, aggressive sound and its angry, politically conscious content. Yet even Public Enemy were dwarfed commercially by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, whose kid-friendly single “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and album He’s the DJ, I’m The Rapper were both Top 5 pop hits that same summer. The group that would truly revolutionize hip hop was N.W.A—”Niggaz With Attitude”—whose debut album, Straight Outta Compton, was released on August 8, 1988. . ... READ MORE
1942: German saboteurs executed in Washington, D.C. During World War II, six German saboteurs who secretly entered the United States on a mission to attack its civil infrastructure are executed by the United States for spying. Two other saboteurs who disclosed the plot to the FBI and aided U.S. authorities in their manhunt for their collaborators were imprisoned. ... READ MORE
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| Birthdays and notables | | | These celebrities were born on this date: Shawn Mendes, Jentzen Ramirez, Meagan Good, Aubrey Miller, A'ja Wilson, Roger Federer, Casey Cott, Dani Dyer, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Rizzo, JC Chasez, Katie Leung, Countess, Ragan Smith Vaughn, Princess Beatrice, Ragan Smith
SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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The answer to yesterday's riddle:
What do you call a sleeping bull? A BULL DOZER! - Carolyn Rogers, Gail Tomlinson. Or, El Toro snoro! - Paula Becker. Nothing, you let him sleep! - JB. A slumbering stud! - Rex Post
Today's riddle
Why couldn’t the laptop take off its hat?
Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or CITYVIEW, contact:
Mary Fowler
Account Executive
515-953-4822 x311
c: 641-485-0555
mary@dmcityview.com
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