Opinion
Daily Dirt for Oct. 11, 2021 Hopefully, Vol. 93 of the Daily Dirt will answer some questions for our valued readers. Sit back, relax and enjoy today’s three thoughts: 1. I’m not a big fan of chaos.I prefer my life to be rather orderly and predictable. For the most part, I like to regularly request the…
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Most followers of rock music enjoy arguing about what the best Beatles songs are. Your favorite Minister of Culture also enjoys arguing about the worst Beatles songs. Welcome to Vol. 92 of the Daily Dirt: 1. Granted, the Beatles were an incredible band — maybe the best ever, who can really say? — but that doesn’t…
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Vol. 91 of the Daily Dirt allows us to have some more fun — and conversation — about one of the day’s hottest topics: secret agents. Feel free to join in with today’s three thoughts: 1. So, with the release of the new James Bond film, “No Time to Die,” and all of the potential…
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For starters, my opening list of the most annoying celebrities could have easily been expanded from 10 to 100, but let’s start with today’s names. I’m sure it is a subject we will revisit. In the emantime, welcome to Vol. 89 of the Daily Dirt and today’s three thoughts: 1. I’ve reached the point of…
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Daily Dirt for Oct. 6, 2021We’re getting closer to to Vol. 100 of the Daily Dirt. I hear Muddy River News Publisher J. Robert Gough is considering some sort of parade. We’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, welcome to Vol. 88 and three more thoughts: 1. We’re also moving closer to the…
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Education is a road to a better life. A quality education allows children to maximize their potential, and providing that for every child is one of the most important undertakings of state government. But research shows Illinois is failing to live up to the promise of high quality or efficient education, as Illinois schools consistently spend more…
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Daily Dirt for Oct. 6, 2021 It’s time for another edition in the “Let’s go to (virtual) lunch with Steve” series, featuring with some of our favorite people, both locally and nationally. If you’d ever like to be included in one of our virtual lunch dates, just drop me a line telling me why you would…
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Daily Dirt for Oct. 4, 2021 The best part of waking up in the mornings between April and October is not a cup of Folgers Coffee, it’s knowing that it is baseball season. That will make more sense as you work your way through Vol. 86 of today’s three thoughts. 1. We’re in the first week…
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Once we hear them, many times it is impossible to forget them. We can love them, and we can hate them. “They” are the commercial jingles that pound our brains — non-stop, it seems — both on television and on the radio.” Jingles are written to be as easy to remember as nursery rhymes —…
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Weekend Twin Spin: Daily Dirt for Oct. 2-3, 2021A Tom Hanks film festival would be downright awesome Selecting my five favorite Tom Hanks films for Vol. 84 of the Daily Dirt was much more difficult than I expected. That guy has had a quite a career. Here are today’s three thoughts: 1. Hanks was recently voted…
Read Full Article Daily Dirt for Oct. 1, 2021 There’s a couple of things I need to get off my chest in the first two of three thoughts in Vol. 84 of the Daily Dirt: 1. Hockey should never be referred to as a “major sport.” It’s not. It’s that simple. That’s why the TV ratings are so microscopic. It’s a…
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My love affair with music dates to the late summer/early fall of 1966. That means I am currently celebrating my 55th anniversary of appreciating the finer points of what it has meant to have enjoyed the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Simon and Garfunkel and hundreds of other groups and individual artists for more than half a…
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Daily Dirt for Sept. 29, 2021 Ideally, some day we might hear Touki Toussaint singing “Ooga-chaka, ooga-ooga, ooga-chaka, ooga-ooga”. In the meantime, welcome to Vol. 82 of the Daily Dirt: 1. There’s little question the first line of a song can hook you. With that in mind, here are 10 of the most iconic opening lines…
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As I travel along streets and highways, I see these squares in the middle of the road. They always are the same size. They have nothing to do with filling a crack or a hole. What are these squares? Do they have something to do with aerial photo calibration? Maybe extraterrestrials left them? Jim Frankenhoff,…
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Daily Dirt for Sept. 28, 2021 I am not, nor have I ever been, a fan of the Eagles, but personal bias will never stand in the way of sharing news. Welcome to Vo. 81 of the Daily Dirt. 1. The Recording Industry Association of America has updated its list of the top-selling albums of all-time.…
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It’s that time again, to reopen the loveline for the lovelorn. Stevie Love, the real-life Doctor of Love and potentate of passion is here to help. As always, real answers for real issues.Let’s get right to today’s mailbag: Dear Stevie Love,I’m always amazed at how you can cut right to the heart of the matter,…
Read Full Article Daily Dirt for Sept. 27, 2021 Granted, I spend a lot of time watching television. But it comes in hand at times like this — Vol. 80 of the Daily Dirt: 1. Here’s my picks for the most memorable TV characters we have seen in the first couple of decades-plus in the 21st century: Bronze medal:…
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Daily Dirt for Sept. 25-26, 2021 My three favorite times of the year are the opening of baseball season, the start of the new television season and anytime the pizza guy arrives at the front door. Vol. 78 of the Daily Dirt begins with the TV part of that statement. Welcome to today’s three thoughts: 1.…
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Growing pension costs for retired educators and administrators are quickly crowding the classroom out of Illinois budgets. Pension costs are crowding out direct education spending throughout Illinois school districts. In the coming school year, 39% of the money the state allocates to education will be diverted away from teachers and students to meet required pension…
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Daily Dirt for Sept. 24, 2021 Vol. 77 of the Daily Dirt is nothing short of a treasure trove of information. Sit back, relax, grab the Froot Loops and enjoy today’s three thoughts: 1. Any day you can learn something is a good day, right? You can thank me later for the following information: A. There is…
Read Full Article Daily Dirt for Sept. 23, 2021 Choosing the proper toilet paper can — and should — be a serious issue. It only takes one purchase of those “four rolls for a dollar” at the neighborhood discount palace to ruin a trip to the bathroom. Vol. 76 of the Daily Dirt begins today’s three thoughts regarding that…
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Musicians make money from royalties, advances, playing live, selling merchandise and licensing fees for their music.Some just make more than others. A lot more. Here are the richest rock musicians, according to wealthygorilla.com, a website that used figures from sites such as Forbes, Celebrity Net Worth and The Richest to build this top 10. Any surprises…
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Daily Dirt for Sept. 22, 2021 Ahh … lunchtime as a school kid. Vol. 75 of the Daily Dirt should rekindle some memories during the first of today’s three thoughts: 1. This is for those whose moms packed their lunches as grade-school kids. How many of these items did you hope to find when you opened…
Read Full Article Daily Dirt for Sept. 21, 2021 A little Mayhem, a little Lily … and a lot of Louie DePalma in Vol. 74 of the Daily Dirt, which, as always, provides you with three thoughts of the day — and all free of charge. Is this a great country or what? 1. I’ve mentioned before how much…
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The speakers regarding the proposed changes to the police and fire commissioners’ duties in hiring chiefs for the respective departments were tabled along with the resolution. The Quincy Police and Fire Commission sent new remarks to Muddy River News. JRG We appreciate the opportunity to present our perspective on the proposed ordinance change. …
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