2008 Salisbury Automobile Classic II

The 2008 Salisbury Automobile Classic was spectacular! An unusual treat this year was the 1933 Nash in the Salisbury House Courtyard; it is part of the film Public Enemies, with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale scheduled for release in July, 2009. Check out the movie trailer on YouTube and you will catch a glimpse of the Nash.

This 9th Annual Classic included everything from a Model T to a Ferrari, but the featured cars of Billy Durant were the highlight: a Little, a Durant Star Huckster Truck, a Flint Jr., and a series of (Durant) Locomobiles and Chevrolets.

It was a great afternoon to visit with the owners, listen to the music, eat lunch, meet friends and make new ones.

What a great community!

photos by Sandra Renshaw and Jim Lindberg

2008 Salisbury Automobile Classic

If you love authentic restorations and car history, the annual Salisbury Automobile Classic is the best of Des Moines, and the event will be held Sunday, September 7 from 12 pm until 5 on the Salisbury House grounds. Ninety vintage cars and hundreds of visitors are expected.

The special interest this year is William Crapo Durant whose life history reads like an out of control comet: son of Michigan’s governor; high school drop out; manager then buyer of Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac (then called Oakland) and Cadillac; came close to buying Ford; founded General Motors; lost them all; co-founded Chevrolet Motors then bought out his partner; rejoined GM and led a huge expansion of the business including the purchase of Fisher Body and formation of GMAC; lost enormous wealth in the 1920s; fired at GM; founded another auto company only to go bankrupt during the Great Depression; managed a bowling alley in Flint; collected a pension from GM. He was a genius who at several wrong times, ran his businesses and his life a little too close to the edge of insolvency.

You can read his story in

• Flint Journal
• the Flint library website
• encyclopedia.com
• GM next

I have gone the last three years. To me the Salisbury Automobile Classic was well worth the time.

photos by Jim Lindberg

Des Moines School Board Election

As you drive south on Beaver toward Forest Avenue, you will see yard signs for seven of the eight candidates for three positions on the Des Moines School Board: Kittie Knauer, Ginny Strong, Jeanette Woods, Dick Murphy, Steve Flood, Kris Crisman, and Mike Pike. The election is Tuesday, September 9 at your usual polling place.

I could not tell you why Larry Barrett, the 8th candidate and a teacher at DMACC, doesn’t have a sign in the yard. He’s been running a good campaign, attending the forum, and presenting his views in a positive manner.

Kittie Knauer who many people know as Kittie Weston-Knauer has been a local celebrity in Des Moines for decades. She is a Drake University graduate with 33 years experience as a classroom teacher and administrator, and what could be better? She is also a bicycle racer (obviously fit for every challenge).

Ginny Strong, Jeanette Woods, and Dick Murphy are incumbent School Board members hoping for re-election. In a ringing endorsement of business-as-usual, they are being “recommended” by the Des Moines Education Association (DMEA). I doubt that the questions that continue to be raised about Rice Field will help the incumbents, but they are clearly well-qualified. Contentiousness has been reported between the three incumbent board members up for election and fellow incumbent Jonathon Narcisse.

Kris Crisman, Steve Flood, and Mike Pike are receiving support from an interesting power base too. According to The Des Moines Register the trio is getting some unsolicited help from a group called Iowa Family Policy Center Action (IFPCA). While the IFPCA lacks its own website, they seem to be an action arm of the Iowa Family Policy Center. In articles reported in The Des Moines Register the three candidates have indicated that they have not asked for this support. KCCI has characterized the IFPC as conservative. I wonder. Since IFPC has been labeled as conservative, does it mean we should automatically like or dislike them?

I think it is most important to listen to or read the views of all eight candidates. Judge them for who they are. If you haven’t had a chance to attend any of the candidate forums, you can still hear the candidates on-line. These interviews have certainly helped me in finding candidates in whom I have confidence, and I didn’t need the DMEA or the IFPC to help me. Interestingly enough, I found a candidate from several of the groups - one recommended by DMEA, one by IFPC, and one endorsed by neither. Keep an open mind and listen to them all before you decide.

• Larry Barrett
• Kris Crisman
• Steve Flood
• Kittie Knauer
• Dick Murphy
• Mike Pike
• Ginny Strong
• Jeanette Woods

All in all it is a pretty interesting race with eight people running for three seats. (Talk about a wicked game of musical chairs.) Well, do your homework and vote on September 9. The polls are open from 7 am until 8 pm or you can vote absentee if you plan ahead.

Why McCain chose Palin

It’s fair to say that everyone is speculating on why John McCain, the Senior Senator from Arizona chose as his potential running mate Sarah Palin, the incumbent Governor of Alaska.

I don’t know for sure, but I can think of a few reasons. Remembering the phrase tongue-in-cheek, see what you think.

1. Alaska is far from Florida so he’s hoping voters won’t be reminded of hanging chads, Katherine Harris, and Jeb Bush.

2. Choosing an Alaskan is a good hedge in case bears win the right to vote by November.

3. Even if bears don’t win the right to vote, it’s still a good hedge because Alaskan bears can be sent to Florida to help count ballots in case the vote gets close.

4. The time will come when Senator McCain is looking for a few more retirement properties. Governor Palin can help him locate (and keep track of) good beachfront resort properties in Alaska (just in case this global warming business gets out of hand).

5. Her experience as Council Member and Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska dovetails nicely with McCain’s plans to allow her to ramp up U. S. participation in the Sister City, International program while toning down his own Bomb, Bomb Iran image.

6. Senator McCain was protecting Republicans from accidental injury. He knew that Sarah Palin, a lifetime member of the NRA, is a better shot than Dick Cheney, and thus fellow Republicans were less likely to be injured.

7. McCain also knew that Alaska’s reputation for pork barrel spending will appeal to pork producers in Iowa, and should help land the farm vote. (On a legitimate note, if you want to compare the McCain and Obama positions, check this rural voter guide.)

8. Hoping that clear understanding of the impact of the George Bush Presidency had not yet reached all of the voters, McCain was hoping some would associate the word Bush with Alaskan Bush.

9. Even if Sarah Palin and John McCain lose the debates, the basketball player formerly known as Sarah Barracuda will catapult them to a win at HORSE.

10. And finally, Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin may not have his experience but all reports are that she is cuter than Joe Lieberman.

photo by flickr by GISuser, er3465, and Wigwam Jones

Facing Des Moines: Meet Andrew C. Schlievert

Andy Schlievert has a mind that doesn’t quit. Put that together with a problem-solving approach to life, and you’ve got an inventor. Add to that a business mind, just the right number of friends, and the ability to work with others, and you’ve intellectual property and a business. And that is what Andy Schlievert is up to.

Working downtown for ING insurance, he regularly saw blind people struggling to navigate the Des Moines Skywalk using a white cane - encountering ramps, corners, hard objects, and moving people. Thinking every minute he put together the concepts of white cane, global positioning, voice-activation, and ultrasonic range finding or SONAR technology and the genesis of an invention emerged. The patent is pending and therefore because the product is still being developed, all you will see is a rough sketch of his invention called the Inveo but click on the image to see words associated with the components. Andy’s business is called Invesions, a contraction of inventing and visions

Curtis Chong a field director for the Iowa Department for the Blind and the Technology Director for the National Federation of the Blind has been particularly helpful. Andrew is also working toward a prototype development with an engineering design coordinator at Iowa State.

Andy was born and raised in Algona, Iowa where he attended Algona High School. While in high school he entered the Iowa State Science and Technology Fair where he qualified for the Intel International Science Fair in 2002 and again in 2005. He did well in 2002 as a 15 year old and 2005 as an 18 year old, winning a 3rd Award in the engineering category.

In Des Moines during the times Andy is not working at ING or developing his invention, he has been attending AIB College of Business where he has already earned an Associate’s degree and is working on his Bachelor’s.

Recently a couple of books have his attention. He first mentioned Joel Osteen’s Your Best Life Now a book that is nicely reviewed on ABC’s website. He also cited Campus CEO, A Student Entrepreneur’s Guide to Launching a Multimillion Dollar Business by Randel Pinkett.

You will have to watch closely for Andrew Schlievert. You will find him downtown at ING, going to school at AIB, working on his invention and Invesions, at the New Iowa Entrepreneurs Coalition meet-up group at the Pappajohn Center, or about town. He is a young man on the go, full of ideas and positive ambition.

photo courtesy of stock.xchng

photos by james lindberg

Facing Des Moines: Meet Desmund Adams

Desmund Adams is a talent magnet. In June 2005 he founded the Talent Acquisition Group of Johnston, Iowa and has served as its Principal since. Honored by Business Record in October 2007 with the Best Kept Secret Award, Talent Acquisition Group continues to enjoy a national reputation for its retained executive searches.

A native of University Park, IL (home of Governors State University), Desmund came to Des Moines and earned two degrees at Drake University, first a Bachelor of Science degree in the School of Education and then a Doctor of Jurisprudence in the Drake Law School. While in law school Desmund interned with The Honorable Louis A. Lavorato (former Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court) and with The Honorable Don C. Nickerson (formerly District Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa and now the Judge in District Court 5C of Iowa). Returning to Chicago for his first professional positions, he learned excellent career skills from Lawrence Richardson, Managing Director of Investment Banking with Wachovia and Alex DuBuclet Principal of the Exeter Group of Illinois.

But here is the measure of the man.

• First, being a great father is a closely-held value for Desmund. As a consequence he moved back to Des Moines to be close to his young son.
• Second, he and his local fraternity brothers from Alpha Phi Alpha (historically a fraternity for African-American men) have put their concern for young people into a local action program called Project Alpha. In 2006 local alumni including Desmund made a five year commitment to mentor high school students at East and Roosevelt through in-school and after-school discussions of the strengths required to be successful in business and life. One piece of advice he gives is, “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow doesn’t exist. You must focus your attention on today because that will affect your consequences tomorrow.”
• Third, Desmund is National Chairman of Alpha Phi Alpha’s College Life to Corporate Life Initiative (C2C).  He designed and developed the Champions of Change Internship Program here in Des Moines. The C2C program was based on the local Champions of Change Internship design. The national fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, has very recently built upon this program of internships for ethnically diverse high school and college men and women. National corporate participants include Wells Fargo Financial. Desmund’s experience and commitment to right action for youth have allowed him to be a strong contributor to the design and functioning of these internship programs at both the local and the national level.

A favorite book is Harvey Mackay’s Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive.

Around Des Moines you may find Desmund Adams golfing at one of the municipal courses or eating at Fleming’s Steakhouse or the sports bar Tonic.

Watch for Desmund Adams around Des Moines. At 6′5″ he’s hard to miss, and you will want to meet him.

photos by James Lindberg

Gas prices, pocket pain, less driving, more DARTing

Every facet of our lives is being affected by the price of gasoline and diesel fuel. I notice the impact more at Hy-Vee and Dahl’s than at the Phillips station, but the cost of gasoline certainly gets my attention when I spend $40 to $70 filling up my car every 10 days, and I don’t drive much. (Eating is much more fun for me.)

Business economist Lester Lave of Carnegie Mellon has been quoted as saying, “If gasoline prices go back down to $3.50, we are going to find there are still people who can’t afford to pay it.” Well, we’re back to $3.50 a gallon in Des Moines. Months ago my friend and high school classmate Don Faasen an artist who now lives in Copenhagen was quick to point out that the cost of gasoline in Denmark is $7 a gallon. That is also true in Japan and much of the rest of Europe as well.

What is the response of the American people to rising gas prices? From Ankeny to Los Angeles to Atlanta to New York, people are driving less. According to the Federal Highway Administration data, as reported across the globe by NYTimes, NBC News (or the video), Reuters India, USA Today, The Twin Cities, driving in the United States has decreased for the 8th straight month (and with it gasoline consumption).

How many fewer miles? Compared to the same period in the previous year, driving was

• down 1.4 billion miles in April
• down 9.6 billion miles in May
• down 12.2 billion miles in June and
• down 53.2 billion miles in the months from December through June

The nationwide drop in June was 4.7%, our section of the Midwest is down about 4.6%, and driving in California dropped by 8.2%. The bigger effects are rural.

It gives new meaning to the term “off-road.”

In Central Iowa we have taken to DARTing more! Ridership on DART buses is up by 10% for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008; that’s a 24 year high. The longer distance and express commutes are up most sharply. DART’s increases in ridership even made the Action 3 News in Omaha! And how about this? On the DART website that you can sign up to car- or vanpool within a 17 county area. Other than the stress, do you wonder what it might save you to use public transit in Central Iowa? DART will help you with the calculation.

Des Moines is not that different than Los Angeles in our public transit response. Ridership there is up 14% in 3 months. Los Angeles broke an all-time record one-day record for public transit ridership in June. (Now we made the Action News 3 in Omaha for our ridership increase, but they made BBC News in London. Big deal. I’d still rather live in Des Moines.) We are also not that different in our increased use of carpools.

Here are two numbers to think about. In the first seven months of 2008, demand for petroleum in the US dropped by 800,000 barrels/day (2.1%). (USA Today) According to Representive Don Young of Alaska, the maximum output from the trans-Alaskan Pipeline was 2,200,000 barrels/day.

Just by driving 2.1% less for the first 6 months of 2008, we have

• made available 800,000 barrels of oil/day for other uses (It’s like increasing the Alaskan pipeline by 35%.),
• the price of oil and gasoline has dropped, and here’s the best part
• we didn’t have to spend our money to do any of it - no drilling, no government subsidy, no tax increase. Good deal. Imagine if we continue the current 4.7% decrease!

Here’s another good deal. In 2007 traffic death rates were at an all time low - 1.37 deaths/100 million miles. With a decrease of 12.2 billion driving miles in June, the lives of 167 Americans were saved. Bonus!

photos by James Lindberg and

photos by flickr by stevencko

Facing Des Moines: Meet Susan Noland

Susan Noland is a skilled artisan whose craft includes conception, design and hand-creation of one-of-a-kind jewelry and gifts. She has done this for 30 years in her shop, Susan Noland Designs in Gold, in the Roosevelt Cultural District. Although she works in the shadow of Roosevelt High School, Susan is a graduate of Des Moines Lincoln. After completing her undergraduate work at Drake University, she was offered Drake’s first-ever graduate assistantship in art by then department chair, the late Leonard Good. At the same time she also taught jewelry classes at the Des Moines Art Center. After receiving her M. F. A. from Drake she served on the faculty for 5 years before opening her own business.

Square Dancing Tractors at the Iowa State Fair

There are always unexpected treats at the Iowa State Fair. On Thursday one of them was the Farmall Promenade Dancing Tractors from Nemaha, Iowa, population 100, where a dozen dedicated people make it special fun to be there. On the map Nemaha is halfway between Storm Lake and Sac City (as if you know where Sac City is). The Farmall Promenade Dancing Tractors are in their 10th and final year of performing. After their 3 performances at the Iowa State Fair today only two remain, one in Yankton, SD on August 17 at 2pm and their final performance at home in Nemaha on Saturday August 30 at 4 pm.

Today hearing the music, listening to the caller and watching the 4 men and 4 “ladies” on Farmall tractors doing standard square dances in an 81 foot ring was pure fun. Full size Farmall tractors, standard transmissions, forward and back, wheel to wheel turns, reaching out to touch hands, promenades, do-si-do. It was a treat.

Isn’t it great to live in Iowa? Get to the Iowa State Fair for some unexpected treats.

It’s time! The Iowa State Fair!

The Fair parade is tonight August 6 in downtown Des Moines.

• 6:15
• Grand Avenue from the State Capitol to 13th Street

You can get other parade event details from The Des Moines Register on-line.

And the Fair starts tomorrow!

The weather is the best!

If you want to go to the Fair early tomorrow, you can get in free and help set the record for most corn dogs being eaten simultaneously.

Check out the Iowa State Fair official web site!

photos by flickr by grendelkhan and snekse

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