I am writing to express my concerns about Iowa House File 852, the act relating to a "real-time electronic repository" to monitor and control over-the-counter products containing any detectable amount of pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, etc. This new act is very expensive ($230,000 to $288,000) to be payed out of the State General Fund, plus an ongoing cost of $30,000 to $86,000. Does the State of Iowa need to spend this much more money when the current laws have proven to be effective?

A SPECIAL NOTE TO THE CLASS OF 2047

Welcome to the Federalized Educational & Socialization Indoctrination System of the Great American Imperium. The Senior Lifetime Bureaucrats in charge of programming your minds to ensure your Obedience and Usefulness to the State have officially prepared this History Textbook "for the children."

I'm a big fan of Rock Island/Milan School District #41. Now and in the past it has provided quality education for the community, my children included, and leads the Quad Cities in any number of educational areas.

But I cannot support the February 5 referendum to restructure the district's schools.

Gold opened 2008 with a bang. The price of the yellow metal soared to all-time nominal highs, surpassing $900 per ounce. "So what?" you may ask. "Unless one works for a mining company or a jeweler, gold is a trivial or nonexistent factor in one's life." True. But do you use dollars for your money? If so, then you ought to be concerned about the rising price of gold.