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Author Archives: Marty Ryan
I Went to School – Sometimes
Realizing that I have written a few things about my ability to question authority, I began to think many readers might want to know why I am, and why I have been somewhat of a maverick. The first memory I … Continue reading
Posted in General
Tagged Kuemper Catholic High School, Lou Galatich, Pledge of Alliance
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“Ryan, You Cheated!”
In a May 8 (Run, Ryan, Run) article, I wrote about some Army Basic Training events that attempted to carve me into the man the Army wanted me to be. I hope my readers don’t think that was the end … Continue reading
What IS the Age of Maturity?
A recent question in CityView, a Des Moines alternative newspaper, asked readers: “Should the minimum age to purchase tobacco products be raised to 21 in Iowa?” All sorts of answers ensued. One reader said tobacco should be outlawed and marijuana … Continue reading
Run, Ryan, Run
It’s hard to believe that only forty-nine years ago this month I was in Basic Training in the Army. The Vietnam War had peaked just two years earlier with the Tet Offensive, but the war was far from over. Every … Continue reading
Posted in General
Tagged Basic Training, Drill Sargeant Green, Fort Lee, Low crawl pit, VA, Vietnam War
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It’s a Matter of Taste
Twice a year, we like attending the Planned Parenthood Book Sale in Des Moines at the Fairgrounds. This past visit we acquired a shopping cart full of books for less than $10.00. Some people exclusively use Kindle, and many more … Continue reading
Posted in General
Tagged Chef Alan Clark, Chicken Marsala, clarified butter, Planned Parenthood Book Sale
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Flaws in the Laws – Part III: 2nd Degree Kidnapping
“He got off on a technicality.” This is a quip that drives me crazy whenever someone walks away from a courtroom in which the person otherwise should have been found guilty. Just what is a technicality? A technicality can be … Continue reading
Posted in Criminal Justice, General
Tagged Auen v. Alcoholic Beverages Division, Kidnapping 2nd Degree, Rep. Mary Lynn Wolfe, Rep. Rick Olson, Rep. Ross Paustian
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