How do you say "get real" in Russian?One wonders whether the answer might have been had recently, when President Barack Obama met Russian leader Vladimir Putin at the United Nations.Both men delivered speeches before the U.N. General Assembly. Afterward, they met privately to discuss Syria. ...
The decision to scrap the U.S. space shuttle program was a mistake, one that may have set exploration of the great beyond back by years. NASA is just now beginning to develop a new system to send American astronauts into space and bring them back -without relying on Russia's goodwill.We were ...
Nobody knows when the first preventable fire took place. Knowledge of that event has long since been lost in the mists of time.We do know, however, that Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The goal was partly to memorialize that tragedy. Also, it ...
There are exciting things afoot in Fort Dodge.While the U.S. economy is still sluggish, agriculture and related industries are a bright spot. Consequently, Fort Dodge and Webster County are well-positioned to prosper if creative leaders in government and the private sector leverage assets and ...
Here at The Messenger, we work diligently to put out a daily newspaper that we hope readers find both informative and useful.This is National Newspaper Week. That makes it a good time to reflect on our industry.Newspapers are so much a part of daily life that most people spend little time ...
National 4-H Week, which starts Sunday, is a good time to celebrate the enormous contributions 4-H makes to our community and nation.It's hard to imagine anyone in Iowa who doesn't know a bit about 4-H, but this week is an appropriate occasion to reflect on the important contribution this ...
The Associated Press emphasized in a recent story: "It is unheard of for a U.N. member state not to oppose resolutions critical of its own laws,"But the AP reporter noted that very thing may happen in the next few weeks - and, unfortunately, it will be the United States with egg on its ...
Moscow has a new military assistance program for Syria. One objective is to help keep Syrian dictator Bashar Assad in power. The other is to defeat the Islamic State.The two goals are very closely related.For four years, Assad has been engaged in a civil war against various rebel groups. Until ...
Inspectors general can be godsends for people who have to rely on the government, as well as for taxpayers.But they can be a curse, too, and that may be the case at the Department of Veterans Affairs.Far from leading the crackdown on VA officials who fail veterans in need of health care, the ...
Nobody knows exactly how long humans have cultivated the soybean, but agricultural historians are quite certain its domestication as a crop in China dates back three millennia. There are actually Chinese records documenting soybean growth as far back as the 11th century. There is some ...
If you are like most people, you buckle your seat belt when you get in a car or truck. After all, with about 33,000 traffic deaths each year in the United States, there's no sense taking chances.So - Gotten your flu shot yet?Why not?Influenza kills about 24,000 Americans every year.If you are ...
For decades, with both Democrats and Republicans in the White House, North Korea's supremely brutal family dictatorship was able to get away with military blackmail. The U.S. response to Pyongyang's saber rattling often was aid to the regime in the name of "engagement."Now, North Korean ...
Almost undoubtedly, Russian military advisers and weaponry being sent to Syria will do more to defeat the Islamic State terrorist army than has been accomplished by the United States.They could hardly do worse.Members of Congress have just learned what has been done with the $500 million they ...
About half the detainees still at the Guantanamo Bay prison for terrorists pose no threat, the White House insists. So why is it so difficult to find any other country - anyone - willing to take them?Despite clear opposition from Congress and the American people, President Barack Obama is ...
With worry about the futures of some of the world's great animals - tigers, lions and elephants come to mind - fully justified, events in Rwanda during the past few years are more than nice to reflect upon. They also may be a model for conservation.In Rwanda, the mountain gorilla is making a ...
Sixteen million Americans served in this nation's military forces during the most horrific war in history - World War II. The nation's official memorial paying tribute to their sacrifices was a long time coming. It finally was opened to the public on April 29, 2004, in Washington, D.C. Sadly, ...
National Farm Safety and Health Week begins today - it's the 72nd consecutive annual observance. This year's theme is "Ag safety is not just a slogan, it's a lifestyle."According to the federal government's Bureau of Labor Statistics, agriculture is the second most dangerous occupation in the ...
Ho-hum. Another day, another meaningless warning from the American president. That may well have been Russian leader Vladimir Putin's reaction to the most recent complaint from President Barack Obama about Russian involvement in Syria.Moscow is sending new military equipment and troops to ...
A little more than 14 years ago, Americans were brutally shocked out of our complacency regarding Islamic terrorism when organized murderers used aircraft in a massive attack on us.We learned quickly the assault had been mounted by al-Qaida terrorists who enjoyed a safe haven in Afghanistan, ...
Her handling of email communications while she was secretary of state was not the "best choice," Hillary Clinton has admitted. The Democratic front-runner for president added that she did not "stop and think" about the matter.Stop and think about that. Clinton is admitting she did not devote ...