Senate File 500 would transfer the control of watershed improvements and federal Clean Water Act programs out of the DNR as well in addition to water quality monitoring.  The original bill, House File 643, that spurned this controversy died during the first funnel week in the Senate.  It only adds to the need for discussion about Iowa’s waters and how they should be taken care of.

The move, if adopted, would create a devastating conflict of interest that could further harm water quality, wildlife and natural resources across the board.  The DNR’s work in this area is also a crucial part of the recovery that has barely arrived after the 2008 floods.

Climate change in Iowa is being discussed all over the state, including special coverage by the Des Moines Register.  The water quality debate is central to that issue, which needs to be considered by all parties involved in the state of Iowa’s water.  The Farm Bureau’s approval of the bill does not mean that discussion should stop here.

Farmers need to be a part of the talks, but conservationists do as well.  Moving control of the programs to the Department of Agriculture would harm the chances for progress and continue to polarize the debate.  This state doesn’t need talking points and continuous inaction, it needs cooperation and progress.

Water quality in Iowa is already at an all-time low.  In fact, earlier this month the DNR released a new water quality map, which showed that there is one or more impaired waterway in each county statewide.  Iowa is also among the top contributors to the Gulf of Mexico’s “Dead Zone,” according to the U.S. Geological Survey.  So we aren’t just harming our own watersheds, we’re harming the South’s as well.

While Iowa’s waterways are in dire need of assistance and improvement, the funding for conservation programs is on the chopping block and the program control could be handed over to one with opposite goals.

“Considering we have over 90 percent of Iowa’s acres in some form of farm production [and] that our economy is tied to soil and water and our land. Then I really think that’s a mistake in priorities as far as the state budget is concerned,” said Mark Langgin, of Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy, to KCCI.

This evidence shows a certain political disdain for environmental protection in a state that needs it more than many realize.  Iowa is a recreational state that requires a healthy and livable outdoors.  The DNR even provides online beach water quality tracking to ensure Iowans have easy access to information about recreational opportunities in their local water bodies.

This is what makes Senate File 500 so frustrating. The DNR is trying to do its job and the Department of Agriculture does not need any new responsibilities.  The discussion of water quality in this state should continue to progress with all involved parties coming to the table for compromise.

We need to have this debate in a fair and logical manner that kicks politics to the curb.  The quality of our land, air and especially water is not something that should be used as a campaign talking point.  It is a crucial issue that all Iowans have a stake in.  Before making any drastic changes, the legislature needs to start treating this issue like a discussion about a public good.  Our environment is not a liberal darling, it’s something we all use and care about.

Photo by Robert S. Donovan, Flickr

I was always a chubby kid and for me, to be chubby was to be ugly.  I struggled with this physical and emotional burden over the first 19 years of my life before I realized I needed a change.

Almost all Americans are aware of the obesity epidemic that is overwhelming this country.  However, many people do not realize the extensive and constant internal struggle that overweight and obese Americans go through as they try to lose weight.

In 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a component of the U.S. Department of Health, found that 17 percent of U.S. children and one third of U.S. adults were obese.  They also found that those living in the Midwest and South were struggling with obesity more than the rest of the country.  Their findings provide an outline of the obesity epidemic, defining the problem for everyone; however, they are unable to show us how we got here or how to overcome the situation.

ObesityinAmerica.org, an obesity communications operation, defines the disease as “an excessive amount of body fat in relation to lean body mass or a body weight that is 30 percent over the ideal weight for a specified height.”  Overweight is defined as “an increased body weight that is between 25 and 29.9 percent over an ideal weight for a specific height. May not only be due to increases in body fat, but lean muscle as well.”

As a teenager and adult I always had a hard time with my weight and body image.  I was never obese, but still endured teasing from friends and struggles in gym class throughout my youth.  These instances felt like a hammer, nailing my small amount of self-esteem to the ground and crushing all hope for a thin, carefree lifestyle.  I was fat and I felt like it defined me.

Eric Villhauer was a regular freshman at Iowa State University in the spring of 2006.  He was walking to class, like he usually did, but this day brought a realization that the others hadn’t.

“I used to walk to class, so even though I was big I could function physically,” said Villhauer.  “But one day after I’d been at school for six or seven months, I got winded walking up a flight of stairs and I…realized it was because I was so overweight.”

Villhauer’s weight struggles surpassed mine.  The now 25-year-old cannot remember a time in his life where he wasn’t “fat.”  At six feet tall, his weight maxed out at 320 pounds when he was just 21 years old.

He defines his relationship with food as a product of his “addictive personality,” filling any emotional voids.  As Villhauer describes his eating habits, his voice takes on a hard and serious tone and he stares into the distance.

“I would eat for any reason, if I was left alone I was pretty much eating,” said Villhauer.  “Whether it was boredom or stress or excitement or because I was sad.”

Villhauer’s weight frequently limited his physical abilities as a teenager.  He played baseball and pick-up basketball games with friends, but he recalls his weight preventing him from moving quickly and playing as much as he’d wanted to.

Being overweight or obese comes with more baggage than many realize.  People with weight issues are more likely to develop Type-2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure according to the CDC.

In fact, although the American Psychiatric Association does not consider overeating or excess weight to be a psychiatric disorder, it can have damaging psychological effects.  A 2003 study found that obese children rate their quality of life as low as children who were undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer did. This problem isn’t just a matter of getting tired more quickly or not looking great in your clothes – this is an extreme health risk.

Villhauer talks about his obesity like a habit that needed kicking.  For him it was a more personal issue than public.  But Lauren Jones*, 16 does not feel the same way about her own weight issues.  For her, the problem is dealt with out in the open as well as inside her home and herself.

“I’ve never really been happy with my body,” said Jones.  “I never feel like I look pretty and that doesn’t help with my eating at all.”

Jones is a tall young woman with large, soft waves throughout her dark brown hair.  She is 5’ 8’’ and weighs 190 lbs.  She’s yo-yoed at that weight since she reached her full height at 14.  Her BMI puts her in the ninety-fifth percentile for her age group, classifying her as obese.

Jones played basketball and attended dance lessons until she was 13.  However, her inner monologue was always the same and the adolescent continued to eat through her boredom and stress.

“I just enjoy food more than anything else,” she said.  “It isn’t like I’m thinking about eating all the time, but I just don’t end up limiting myself…”

I see a bit of my old self in Jones as she describes her dilemma.  She wakes up every day wanting to be thinner and healthier, but feels trapped by her weight anyway.  I remember feeling undesirable and yearning to be petite – the kind of girl that appeared almost lighter than air.  That desire makes you melancholy, which leads to more food intake.  It’s a vicious cycle that some people never break out of.

Joan Brown*, Jones’ mother, talks about her daughter’s weight issues in a soft voice.  Her love and sadness is written on her face as she listens to her daughter describe her self-image.

“I want her to see how beautiful she is,” said Brown.  “I just never knew how to reach her [as a kid.] We would go to the doctor and all I would do is cry because they wanted me to help her and I couldn’t figure out how.”

Brown’s sentiments are not uncommon.  In fact, the Hy-Vee grocery store chain has a resident nutritionist at most of their locations to help individuals who want to change their eating.  Kym Wroble, the resident nutritionist at the Iowa City Waterfront Hy-Vee works with customers on their nutritional needs and helps many people on their weight loss journeys.

“Food is a very personal thing.  Eating is not just about satisfying hunger.  It is a huge part of any culture and a huge part of every person’s background,” said Wroble.  “When I work with people on their food choices, I am touching and affecting deep parts of their lives.  It can be a very sensitive and emotional thing.”

Midori Beachy, the resident nutritionist at the Coralville Hy-Vee explained that Jones and Villhauer’s problem is not uncommon.  Two out of every three Americans are either overweight or obese, she said.

“The first thing is realizing it’s an issue and secondly, deciding what one is going to do about it,” said Beachy. “I always commend customers for coming to talk to me because they are taking the first step in the right direction just by setting up an appointment. They are taking the issue into their own hands and working on doing something positive for themselves.”

Wroble and Beachy both stressed that portion sizes are a key area that many Americans struggle with.

“Dietitians have been preaching for years to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish and less red meat and added fat and sugar,” said Wroble.  “That’s a simple message and if you follow it, no matter what health concern you may have, it will benefit you and you’ll see results.”

Villhauer’s road to weight loss began with portion control and exercise.  He has lost over 100 pounds by combining cycling and running with healthy decreases in food intake.  Villhauer said the key thing for him was making his diet sustainable.  He didn’t want a quick fix; he needed a long-term lifestyle change.

“I lifted weights as my main form of exercise for two years,” said Villhauer.  “At one point I started riding a bike and eventually started running as well.  That in combination with a slightly smaller diet helped a lot.”

My own weight loss experience was similar.  I picked up jogging and tried to separate food from entertainment and emotions.  I made a conscious effort to only eat when I was hungry and drink lots of water.  My weight was at a normal level for my height after six months of the new behaviors.  However, I still battle that old body image that’s tucked away in my mind.  That is the part of my experience that will stick with me forever and the one Jones can relate to most.

“I just want to stop fighting [my weight],” she said.  “I want to wake up one day, be thin and know I’m beautiful.  I’m just not sure I’ll ever get there, even if I do lose it all.”

*Sources’ name has been changed for privacy

Silence & Noise Knit/Mesh Dress, Urban Outfitters

Oh, if only I had the money to go shopping.  This Urban Outfitters creation has me falling in love this spring.  The flattering cut of this casual look is amazing for any woman.  If the color isn’t your style, not to worry.  There’s a simpler black and white pattern that would work for any girl’s wardrobe.  And at $49 even the price is making me wonder, “what’s not to love?”  Check back with me after my next paycheck, chances are I’ll still be dying to buy it. 

Not your favorite?  Here are some other sun dresses I’m loving this season.

• Kimichi Blue Chiffon Halter Dress, UrbanOutfitters
• Crisscross dress, JCrew
• Mummified Tee Dress - MINKPINK, ShopBop.com
• Tie-Shoulder Tiered Sundress, Old Navy
• International Concepts Dress – INC, Macys          

Paris Hilton

Oh Paris Hilton, my love-hate relationship with you continues.  I hate your acting, but I usually love your clothes.  However, your recent fashion disaster is making me question it all.

Normally, you’re the one woman that can always rock the bling.  Your clothes can outshine any diamond or disco-ball and you still look more like a million bucks.  Many look tacky, you look fabulous.   This is the one-sleeved wonder definitely needed a little shine reduction.

The calf-length sleeve resembles a bullfighter’s cape more than a chic statement.  I might have gone for it with about a yard’s worth of fabric reduction, but there’s no way anyone could pull this look off.  Leave it on the runway girl, stick with something more practical and less old school.

Oh and one more thing, it’s spring. Keep your Christmas-red platforms in the closet until next winter.  You’re ruining my warm season fashion high.

April has arrived, meaning that it’s time for us Midwestern girls to break out those spring clothes.  The cold weather will soon be gone and I’m hoping that most of these floral prints will leave with it.

The flowers will soon be blooming all over the ground, so they don’t need to take over your closet.  Here’s a few ways to bring some pop and color to your look without being typical.

Animal prints – Leopards, tigers and zebras, oh my!  These patterns (without the fur) are stylish and eyecatching all year round.  Whether you wear it as the central part of your ensemble, like with this Forever21 dress (pictured) or as an accessory, like this Urban Outfitters feather bracelet, you’re certain to stand out.  These pieces look great when paired with basics and are sure to be an asset to any wardrobe.  Whether you love feathers, spots or stripes I know you’ll find something to love here.

Other looks: Wendy Top-Slip Peacock
                          Leatherette Embossed Reptile Skin Handbag, Forever21 
Pareo, Express
                          Sleveless Draped Python Print Michael Kors Dress, Macys

Statement shoulder-wear – When in doubt, grab a bright bag.  This spring, it’s all about the neutrals, so bring some pop to that look with a bright bag.  Try this affordable Forever21 bag or this gorgeous Elliot Lucca creation in papaya.  Colors like this willwake up any eye and make a lasting asset to keep in your closet.

Other looks: Big Buddha “Sunburst” Satchel, Dillards
Duex Lux Basketweave Crossbody Bag, Urban Outfitters
                          Jackson Croco-Printed Handbag, Younkers
                          Billabong Fringe Benefits Bag, PacSun

Laura Bell Bundy – Some critics are wondering whether or not Ms. Bundy will be able to make it in the country music industry, this is one fashionista I would hate to be without.  She looked absolutely perfect in this Jean Fares Couture gown.  The details on the dress made it a unique statement that would have grabbed attention all night long.  This is the kind of dress that should be seen more often on red carpets everywhere.

Julianne Hough – Ryan Seacrest’s leading lady looked gorgeous in this spring’s got to coral hue.  The gold accessories really gave the outfit the extra pop it needed to really stand out.  Not all fair skinned women can pull this look off, but Hough certainly did.

Taylor Swift – Swift tweeted a sneak peak of her dress early on in the night, but she still managed to wow in this gorgeous creation.  She was possibly the best dressed starlet of the night, looking elegant and mature in this pale yellow Elie Saab Couture gown.  Understated jewelry by Neil Lane pulled the whole look together.

Carrie Underwood – Underwood may not have taken a ton of awards home last night, but she certainly looked fantastic despite it.  This Jean Fares Couture dress’s color pops out in the most stunning way possible.  Underwood was able to show off her svelte, toned frame and still look like a goddess.  Later on she channeled her inner rocker in an entirely different ensemble, which highlighted her long, lean legs.  This woman is definitely one of the best dressed former American Idols and arguably the most successful as well.

Adam Star-print silk tank, Net-a-porter.com

According to Elle Magazine, the new look of the season is stars -  accessories, shirts, dresses and more.  And I have to say, I’m LOVING it.

It is the perfect shape to spice up any print or look.  If they aren’t overdone with too much sparkle, stars can look very mature and elegant.  The tank to the right would look amazing paired with a leather jacket and some skinny jeans.

It is my new spring must have.  You’ll probably be able to catch me at the mall on the hunt for some starry fashion this weekend.

What do you think?  Love it or hate it?

Let me know in the comment section below.

ASOS Stripe Egg Maxi Dress, Us.Asos.com

This spring’s trend that I love to hate is horizontal stripes.  And boy do I hate em’.

Now those who know me and have seen my closet are fully aware that I have always adored anything nautical.  That style is always in for me; in fact, half of my closet is navy.

However, this spring’s expansion on the nautical stripe for the soon to arrive warmer weather is a dud on real women.  Let’s face it ladies, anyone who wears anything over a size 4 is going to look broader in this type of fabric.  It accentuates any abdominal imperfections by accentuating everything but the waist.

As an accessory, this print is fabulous and funky.   However, I’m staying away from this style in dresses, shirts and skirts.  It is always better to dress for your figure than this season’s it style.

But enough about me, what do you think?  I’d love to hear about it in the comment section below.

Professor Daack-Hirsch interacts with mothers in the Philippines, Photo submitted

When Sandra Daack-Hirsch hopped on a west-bound plane in 1994, she didn’t know what to expect.  When she landed in the Philippines, she found a group of islands filled with families who needed medical help and expertise.

And she gave it to them.

She discovered a family in which five of the seven children suffered from cleft lip/palate — a condition in which a gap forms in either the upper lip or the roof of the mouth.  The University of Iowa assistant professor of nursing cared for three of them.  She developed a bond with the mother, who helped her find others in the village who needed surgery for the condition.  After returning home, Daack-Hirsch received several letters from the woman in her native language.

“The first time it was really exciting for me to be able to go someplace and not be someone’s mom, someone’s wife and really just be me and do what I do,” said Daack-Hirsch, looking at her husband.

She has been to the Philippines 14 times to help people suffering from cleft.  She conducted research and volunteered with an Iowa-based team working with Operation Smile, a nonprofit organization that provides surgeries and help for thousands of individuals, mainly children, who are born with a cleft lip or cleft palate.  Surgery allows patients to eat and speak normally, but it’s difficult to find in less-developed countries.

The 48-year-old prepared hundreds of patients for surgery, cared for them afterwards, and helped them understand the condition.  Using her hands to accentuate her point, she described her primary role as that of a researcher as well as a nurse, focusing on gathering information and helping patients.

“You might get 500 people going through screening, but we may only have enough operating rooms and surgery times for about 350,” said Daack-Hirsch, playing with her glasses as she spoke.  “It really was hard to turn people away.”

She spent three or four days per two-week trip locating families with whom the group had worked to see if other family members also suffered from the genetic condition.  For many, Daack-Hirsch was their sole source of information about cleft lip/palate, and she built strong relationships with families.

“When you’re discussing things by e-mail and long distance phone calls, it’s really hard to know what they’re experiencing,” she said. “I got an appreciation for how hard it was to go out and locate families when you don’t have telephone books and people aren’t online.”

Mike Hirsch observed his wife as she described the annual trips as well as a two-month visit that took her away from their children, Leah 23, and Will, 19.

“Well, we all missed Sandy, but life had to go on,” he said.  “My work got in the way sometimes, so [Sandy's mother] came and helped.”

Leah Hirsch recalls missing her mother a great deal when she would go away.

“Things were definitely different when Mom was gone, but…it just became normal,” she said. “I remember that a few weeks before she would go, we would always go through our toys and decide which ones we didn’t want so Mom could take them with her to give to the kids.”

Photo by Dana Beveridge, Flickr

The president’s decision to extend the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy last fall was the biggest fiscal blow that the middle class has experienced in recent times.

President Barack Obama’s deal with Republican lawmakers was unpaid for and will cost the government $858 billion.  The tax cuts and unemployment benefits extension will not do much to stimulate the economy or relieve the burdens of the middle class.The legislation merely gives the Democratic president a campaign talking point.  Obama will be able to say he cut your taxes, but he cannot say that he did right by the economy.

President George W. Bush chose to create these temporary tax cuts at a time where he had inherited a budget surplus.  The money was flowing in, people were at work and in the meantime the housing bubble was quickly growing, soon to burst.  However, the country’s fiscal situation was substantially brighter and the bill was sellable to the American people.  Bush made the wrong decision to create these tax cuts, but at least they were not permanent.  The sunset should have occurred during President Barack Obama’s tenure as president, but it didn’t.

The economic crash of 2008 was a wakeup call for this country.  We were spending too much and saving too little.  We couldn’t keep behaving the same way and expecting prosperity to continue.  Big business had gotten far too large and the wealthy had been running away with the vast majority of U.S. wealth and income growth.  In fact, income growth between 1980 and 2005 wascharacterized by dramatic increases in wealth for the highest percentile of incomeearners, while the middle class staid put fiscally.  In his book,Unequal Democracy, Larry Bartels of Princeton University shows that U.S. residents who fall within the 99.99^th percentile experienced growth that increased their income by the fivefold¹.  Bartels calls it the new “Gilded Age,” comparing it to the time of robber barons and extreme income inequality of the past.  General equality amongst economic groups pretty much ceases to exist.In 2008 it was timefor vast economic reform, but those changes would never come.

Instead, Obama gave into the demands of the other side.  Beaten down by the results of the midterm election results, which were not unexpected or unusual for a first term president, Obama compromised when he didnot need to.  He laid down to Republican demands and accepted a mantra that has not worked and will never work.  Trickledown economics hadn’t worked the first time that the Bush tax cuts were passed and it won’t work this time.  The rich overwhelming benefit from them, while the middle and poor classes are hung out to dry. They wait for opportunity and income that will never come because it is already lining the pockets of millionaires.  The wealthy are not investing just like everyone else and history shows that a tax cut will not encourage them to do so.

What is the point in granting an individual demographic such significant cuts when they are not using the money?  They are not saving the economy and that cash will just float around and gather interest somewhere.  It is time that government officials take a greater interest in ensuring that problem gets fixed, instead of trying to buy reelection through tax cuts.  Obama should have been that official, but it looks like the American people will have to wait.