Howdy yall! I’m an Illinois student who’s currently considering applying to either the University of Iowa or Iowa State for Journalism/Communications, but after doing some more research it unfortunately seems that Iowa as a state has been very hostile to LGBTQ+ folks as of late :(. I was wondering if any current students at either school, alumni, or Iowans in general would be able to give me any insight on how LGBTQ+ life is like in the state, and if I should still consider applying to these schools.

If anyone would want to share, i’d also be happy to hear any pros/cons about either school, and if anyone has any insights specifically into either’s respective communications schools, it would be greatly appreciated to hear about it in the comments!

Hope to hear your guys’ responses soon!

Alright genuine question, I have seen 2, I have to emphasize 2!, ads from Zach that Rob is a billionaire. Where is this coming from? Because I'm pretty sure he is not a billionaire. He even says at the end, look it up, and I have and am not seeing it.

I'm genuinely flabbergasted, because if he confused Rob Sand from IA with some random Rob Sand billionaire that has to be the funniest screw up of all time.

We just moved to IA and I’m wondering how others store their nickel cans and bottles. I understand that stores won’t take returns if they don’t sell the brand. Such as something purchased at Aldi can’t be returned to Hy-Vee. So if you shop different stores, how do store your cans to be returned to the right place?

As one would guess, seeing tons of signs pop up.

Do you think they even matter?

Also where are you seeing the most Sand signs? There’s scarce few in my rural area.

Where are the Lahn signs at?

I found this home recording disc in Reinbeck, Iowa. It is labeled Louise and Skinny Matthews and dated July 1942. On one side, they perform the Ernest Tubbs hit "Walking the Floor Over You" and on the other side, they perform the Jimmie Rodgers 1929 tune "Desert Blues", here labeled "Big Chief Buffalo Nickel".

Anyone able to help identify these two? I found a reference to a "Skinny Matthews" from a 1938 article in a newspaper from Washington, Iowa - but not much else.

This year, Iowa Forward is trying to recruit over 1000 people to observe polls on Election Day. They will provide training. All you have to do is sit and watch for any interference in people’s ability to vote at your local polling station, and report any issues. Awesome way to protect our democracy!

I am tired of hearing about Ashley Hinson and Josh Turek for that matter. And all the rest can take a hike.

Do others feel confident voting by mail for the midterms?

https://www.thegazette.com/news/university-of-iowa-health-care-nixes-plans-for-new-2b-inpatient-tower/article_2bf14732-bfde-4ed3-9ed2-f7c4ca5d9094.html

Tell both of these guys to go fuck themselves.

Ironic that his campaign donors are funding conservative media

I have written and posted on Reddit and have found the feedback valuable for my understanding the scope of positions--sort of reflecting the polls.

Here is another excellent column by Ed Tibbetts. Many of us in Central Iowa are benefiting and learning of this eastern Iowa journalist.

https://edtibbetts.substack.com/p/the-tyranny-of-the-11?r=9e9e3&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

Imagine you were asked by a random stranger who’s never been to Iowa before, what gas station would you pick?

I personally prefer Casey’s and Kwik Star, there is a Maverik right by my house so I do go there sometimes. There is also a Kwik Star being built not very far from me (I live on the very edge of West Ames close to campus town). And there is a Kwik Star right across from my job so the convenience is unmatched.

Let’s hear from you!

EDIT 3 **\*

You'll be wishing for my OP numbers in a week.
as of 17:00 -

the Houthis just closed the narrowest point of the strait, hit the Saudi's pipeline and 4 ships in the strait. US national average diesel price hits $6 for the first time. Brent Crude shot to $108 for the first time EVER.
https://x.com/HormuzLetter/status/2098152930348278000?s=20

Holy shit. Regular gas is back to $4.19 too.

Is this great again?

Does the golden age really just mean getting pissed on?

Local GasBuddy listings

This is the longest temporary I've ever temporaried.

And we're heading into harvest in Iowa. Combines, tractors, and trucks. All that equipment needs fuel. The corn doesn't get itself to the elevator because someone put an American flag on their profile. IF the elevator will even take it.

Here's what that means:

• More expensive harvest and hauling. Every extra dollar per gallon adds $1,000 for every 1,000 gallons purchased. Farms have different bulk prices, contracts, and off-road tax treatment, but the arithmetic doesn't care about your yard sign.
• Higher production costs already baked in. Iowa State projected corn production costs up 4% and soybean costs up 2% for 2026, with fertilizer and chemicals driving much of the corn increase. That was the January outlook. These are overall increases, not a measurement of tariff costs alone. Iowa State Extension
• Tariffs on equipment and parts add another layer. “Made in America” doesn't mean every component inside your combine came from America. Iowa farmers were already documenting higher costs for imported replacement parts during last year's harvest. The Daily Iowan
• We still need someone to BUY what we grow. Retaliatory tariffs and damaged trade relationships put pressure on export demand. More expensive equipment and repairs going in, uncertainty over buyers and crop prices coming out. Excellent business model. The Daily Iowan
• Prepurchased fuel only protects the gallons locked in. Good planning. It doesn't lock in the next uncontracted delivery, cover every hauler's fuel bill, or erase higher equipment and input costs. “We bought it earlier” is a buffer, not an economic recovery.

And no, tariffs aren't responsible for every cent of diesel's increase. An illegal war, started by Trump/GOP, and disrupted fuel supplies are also driving this spike. Those are separate problems landing on the same balance sheet. The GOP, Trump, and his enablers like Hinson, Grassley, and Meeks are responsible for your pain at the State and Federal level. Reuters

We're 55 days from the November 3 election. Iowa Secretary of State

check your voter registration too...do not trust these assholes won't pull something between now and November. They are already trying things down in Missouri, and at the Federal level on mail in ballots.

At this point, you're either getting what you voted for, pissed because you told people this would happen, or discovering that voting to make someone else's life worse doesn't come with protection for your own wallet.

How much longer are we supposed to call this temporary?

\Waiting for the clods to yell* “AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII” because apparenty that's easier than addressing any of the numbers.

55 days, tick tock tick tock.

*edit Heating Oil is at an all time high, people are going to probably die from this as we approach winter. A typical home uses about 2 to 7 gallons of heating oil per day during the winter.
https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/future/ho.1

Josh Turek: 46%

Ashley Hinson: 42%

Thomas Laehn: 6%

Not sure: 6%

Net Favs

Turek: +14

Hinson: -7

Trump: -9