Does anyone else miss “fast food”?

I’m sorry to those of you who have had to sit through this rant of mine in person and are now having to read it too, but some things simply have to be written down. On our way home from our Christmas marathon the kids were hungry for some “normal” food… so you know what that means, we are stopping in Waterloo for a McDonalds run. Now this is an event I recall fondly from my own childhood and one I wish I could give my own children, however, that will never be the case. A full 20 minutes after entering the building my wife comes to the booth with our food. Now I want to set the stage of this debacle. It was 6:30 on a Sunday evening. The weather was fine, traffic was typical and the restaurant (I use this term loosely) was not overly busy. There were no out of the ordinary issues one could see that should have given this location any reason to be providing less than adequate service.

I found myself sitting there, observing this scene much the same way I imagine a dying person would view themselves on the operating table just before passing away from some fatal flaw made by an incompetent physician. I couldn’t even be upset; all I could do is stare in awe of the human frustration I was witnessing. There were at least 8 to 10 people standing in the counter area of this McDonalds waiting for their orders. Please understand, this is not a unique situation, this has become the norm for fast food. In this particular scenario I choose to pick on McDonalds because this is my fast food restaurant of choice and the one I choose to be violated by most often, but make no mistake, you can expect similar treatment from almost any place with a drive up window.

Has everyone forgotten where the bar was once set? Has every American citizen become so accepting of mediocrity and poor quality that we have simply given up on the dream Mr. Kroc started and was copied by Hardies, Wendy’s, Culvers and Burger King? Ray Kroc would run naked through the streets with unfettered madness if he could see what has become of his glorious empire and burger joint.

What I’m old enough to remember:

· Getting “fast” food at a fast food restaurant:
o The way it used to be: You walked in, stood in one of several lines of people which moved fairly efficiently toward the counter where people ordered what they wanted, where quickly provided with hot, fresh food and drink. They paid, and they left or found a place to sit and eat.
o The way it is today: You stand in line for a considerably longer time, trying to determine who is ordering, and who is now waiting for their food. When you do make it to the ordering portion of the new process, you will be given a receipt with your order on it. (which you will need to check because the system is terribly broken and is rarely done accurately) When you do receive your prefabricated, recently slapped together food and empty glass for drink, you will have the privilege of making your way through a mass of frustrated customers who are both waiting to order and waiting to receive their own orders. Many times you orders do not come out in chronological order so now people who ordered after you may actually receive their food before you. In addition to this especially pleasant group of mutually frustrated patrons, you will also have the added pleasure of bumping into a group who are stopping in to rent videos. Oh yes, this little trophy is a special bonus when you stop at your favorite fast food hot spot. Not only has the service been slowed to a pace that really works for the staff, but you can now fight your way through people who are stopping in to both rent and return their favorite video’s from the machine that is also taking up space in the counter area.

· The 10 minute rule:
o The way it used to be: I remember the McDonalds rule that said, if a burger has been under the heat lamps for more than 10 min, it got thrown away. [This is the concept once employed by many fast food chains which enabled them to prepare food “before” it was ordered so that when a customer came to a counter and ordered a burger… IT WAS READY TO SERVE TO THEM!!!!]
o The way it is today: Every aspect of the meal is prepared and assembled after the order is made. The burgers are delivered to the restaurant “pre-cooked”. Most McDonalds don’t even have a grill in the building anymore! Can anyone that’s not a lawyer or an accountant explain this to me?

· Hot, griddle-fried burgers with “melted” cheese
o The way it used to be: Raw frozen patties arrived and were grilled and made into a predetermined group of a variety of sandwiches determined by popularity. Sandwiches were assembled and kept warm under a heated shelf area where people taking orders could easily access them and give them very quickly to the person who had ordered them. From time to time, you would receive a burger that was so fresh you could potentially receive a slight burn from dripping grease! Is there anywhere you can now go to receive such a lunch wound?
o The way it is today: Pre-cooked burgers come in frozen and are “warmed” to be made into burgers and served. No more grease, no more melting of cheese. This is also a forgone practice our children have been cheated of and will never experience the hot, melted pleasure of a McDonalds burger, grilled in grease, on a hot griddle, where cheese was applied so it could patricianly melt before being placed on a freshly toasted bun, which by the way are no longer toasted either.

· Hot apple pies:
o The way it used to be: Deep fat fried apple and cherry pies, served quickly after being fried in cardboard boxes. This was many times a dangerous adventure due to the extreme heat you could expect. Ironically, this menu item is classified as a desert. When ordering food at a fast food restaurant most times the entire meal is ordered at one time, hence, one would “want” the desert portion of said meal to be “hot” so that when this portion of the meal is consumed… it is still of high quality and satisfaction levels can be maintained.
o The way it is today: The original apple pie left of well over 10 years ago and was replaced by the lower quality (healthier version) you have come to know in today’s McDonald’s. I haven’t got a clue where or how these are prepared, but I can make a pretty good guess they come off the truck frozen and meet their serving temperature inside that delicious little box you see them distributed from when you collect two of them for the dollar menu.

· Being served a cold drink:
o The way it used to be: You ordered a drink, the person you ordered it from was the person who pulled the appropriate sized cup, scooped the ice and hit the button on a very cool machine which would automatically fill the cup to the top. They would then put a lid on your cup for you, pull a straw and place the set of items on your try.
o The way it is today: You get to do the above. In other words, you’re the customer, do it yourself!
[Special sidebar here: I completely recognize the labor cost involved here, I am also sympathetic to the sizing issue, the sanitary issues with handling the ice, the room behind the counter the equipment takes and the issues stemming from people who spill drinks from trays they carry with drinks away from the counter. I don’t give a s#%$... I don’t care, it’s called customer service… and I really miss it!]

I could continue on several different notes, the craziness that is the “Play Land” and I have two small children who “love” them. I still think it’s crazy that someone should have to deal 20 screaming children when they are stopping in for a “QUICK” meal. Or, how about the never ending attempt to make McDonalds or any other fast food restaurant a healthy place to eat? What the hell people, we have known for over 40 years that this stuff is bad for you, if you want health food, go to an all you can eat salad bar and stay away from thick burgers and double quarter pounders with cheese!

I would suggest we all boycott the lot of them… they all suck at what they are supposed to be providing. Now, if only we could quit flying with the major airlines, staying in hotels and buying products from Walmart and Target… the world may stand a chance of recovery!

I don’t know, it’s just what I think, I could be wrong. See ya!

We will miss you Boston Legal!

One of the all time greatest shows on TV is going away... So long Boston Legal!



Check out the Boston Legal Web Site to see more!

Check out photos from the most recent DeKam event

Photos Of the DeKam German night!

Now check out the movie!



Video 1
Video 2
Video 3

Delicious Irony

Delicious irony from people flying private jets with tin cups in their hands! I think we have to save the car companies in an effort to save the economy, but there is a huge point being made in this video!

Watch’em squirm!

Three Days In June

Something I thought many of you would appreciate.

Three Days In June

When we put X-Mas lights on our houses on Black Ivy Ct... it involves heavy equipment! Let the season begin! This is a short clip of Cooper and I watching Chris and his son see just how high the lift will actually go!

Cooper's First Basketball game!!!!

What a riot!

This is a slide show, but if you click out to the link below, you can watch several video's of the historic event!

2008 YMCA BB

It Seems Impossible... but it's not.

Follow the below link to view a more clear version of this slide show. I have confirmed with several of my Muslim friends that they are a bit appalled by this too. This is not a "Muslim" issue... this is an ignorance and fear issue. Some groups in this world deserve to be, no, must be "offended" by the rest of us. The very existence of our world depends on our ability to right this ship and specifically "offend" those who need to be offended; in exactly the same way our soldiers "offended" the people who committed the horrific events in our past. The same way we should and have offended those who mistreated the Native Americans, the African slaves, the current day people of Darfur. If you think the event of the holocaust were wrong, you agree. I haven't confirmed the comments about the UK in this slide deck, but it doesn't matter if that part is true or not, if it is, it's sad, but even if it's not true, so what, the message is the same. Let’s not stop "offending" those who deserve to be offended. At least, that's what I think, I could be wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbv_3Q7YL1M

I have listened to this one... and I liked it!

Edward Tabash - The U.S. Presidential Election and Secular Values Voters
Friday, October 17, 2008, 7:00:00 AM
Edward Tabash is a constitutional and civil rights lawyer in Beverly Hills, California. He has chaired the National Legal Committee of Americans United for Separation of Church and State since 1995, and has argued and won before the California Supreme Court. He also sits as a part-time judge for the Los Angeles County Superior Court system. He has successfully represented the scientific outlook and secular humanism in public debates against the leading Christian philosophers around the world. In addition to serving on the Board of the Center for Inquiry and chairing the Council for Secular Humanismâs First Amendment Task Force, he chairs the Center for Inquiry's Los Angeles branch. In this conversation with D.J. Grothe, Edward Tabash explores issues valued by secularists and why they hang in the balance in this U.S. Presidential Election. ÂHe talks about gay marriage and abortion, and how both of these rights depend on a government neutrality in matters of religion. He details ways that pseudoscience and junk science are used to advance religiously derived public policy arguments against gay marriage and abortion. And he talks about global warming skepticism, and the need for scientific integrity in public policy. He emphasizes how the next U.S. President will reshape the Supreme Court, and what that portends for science and secular values. He also explains his role in gay rights victory with the Supreme Court of California earlier in 2008, and why he opposes Proposition 8, a proposed ballot measure in California that would amend the State Constitution to deny marriage rights to homosexuals.
POI_2008_10_17_Edward_Tabash.mp3

Ok, now I try not to project too much on my friends in this area, but when I see an opportunity to bridge a gap, I’m taking it! This site addresses some of the casum that exist between those individuals of theist persuasion and those of a non-theist viewpoint. I have not listened to everything on this site, in fact, I have only listened to two episodes, but I was so impressed with them I was compelled to post here. Take time to listen to the two podcasts I have listed here and I encourage you to puruse the site and listen to other postings on this site. I hope you find it as informative and enlightening as I have. Remember, it’s not what I think… and it could be wrong!

Rev. Michael Dowd - The Marriage of Science and Religion
08/22/08
The Reverend Michael Dowd, along with his wife, science writer Connie Barlow, have lived permanently on the road for years, sharing a "sacred view of evolution" with religious and secular audiences of all ages. His new book is Thank God for Evolution: How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will…

Rev. Michael Dowd: Thank God For Evolution
08/15/08
The Reverend Michael Dowd, along with his wife, science writer Connie Barlow, have lived permanently on the road for years, sharing a "sacred view of evolution" with religious and secular audiences of all ages. His new book is Thank God for Evolution: How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will…

My close friend put me onto this... and it is well worth your time!!!!

Tami's mad... So I have to write! Love you Tami!

It’s just what I think… I could be wrong:

My friend Tami sort of got after me for not writing to the blog recently, so here are some random things on my mind as of late.

It is often discussed amongst friends how much tougher we had it as kids and how our parents had it tougher still than us, and their parents tougher than them. This lineage goes back seemingly forever establishing a trend that as we progress, life gets easier. We typically comment during these quintessential conversations how there must come a time in our existence when the next generation has it more difficult than the one prior to it. Is it possible we are witnessing that time? Is it possible that the 30 to 45 year olds of today have experienced the last generation of ease and that what we are presenting our children with is a future of more difficult times and harder decisions with more sacrifice?

Americans are the most spoiled people on the planet. We are killing our children with childhood obesity, laziness, overindulgences, violence on TV is at an epidemic level, the training of attention span a child receives is that if it last for more than 3 to 4 seconds, it takes to long. Our kids have exposure to stimulants and chemicals that weren’t even around when we were kids. On the other hand, we had led paint chips on the front porch railing while they are facing human growth hormones in their processed chicken nuggets and their breakfast cereal, [Hormones in our food] so who’s to say who the lucky ones were! It may become difficult to argue that the days of a 10 year old building a raft out of scrap wood and floating down a creek were somehow more dangerous and detrimental to a child’s health than parking their asses on a couch in an air-conditioned home, watching Sponge Bob while playing their DS; listing to music in one ear on their MP3 players; IM-ing their friends on their cell phones that they can take a picture with and post directly to the internet… and whining that they don’t have enough to do.

Now, you lay on top of that the things we may or may not be doing to our planet and our global economy by having to live on dollars we haven’t made yet and driving vehicles we can’t, or at least shouldn’t, afford and using products we don’t need… (my loving wife has eleven bottle in our shower, what the hell is that all about?) It’s a wonder our kids aren’t getting pissed at us. Now the news isn’t all bad and I’m not trying to present this glass as half empty. Our children have opportunities to do things that will likely amaze and astonish us in the coming years. [Amazing Kids] They will have to fix the things we have broken, but I believe in them and think they have the ability to create a global exchange of ideas through open technologies that our parent could have only dreamed about.

It has been interesting to see how interconnected the worlds markets truly are. [World Economic Forum] In a very sick and strange way, it provides a level of comfort knowing that if one goes down, we will likely all go down. In some ways it mimics the cold war between the former Soviet Union and the USA. Everyone has bombs, so nobody uses them. With the economy, everyone had better spend money and keep credit flowing… or we will all likely starve and be out of work. It seems crazy to me that as long as we keep spending money like there is no tomorrow and producing products as though we can’t live without them… we’ll likely be fine, but if we conserve, save and pull back, we effectively hurt our own economy? That shit’s messed up.

I will try not to get off on a tangent in the next couple of paragraphs, but what about Religion? Popularity of religions in the US is actually on the rise! [Adherents.com] Logic would tell you that as we become more intelligent and more educated on the science of how things work, the less dependent our society would become on things like religion, superstition and folklore. This is not to say that formalized religion would disappear completely, but that it would become a more realistic, intellectually honest, system of community support and socialization it should be in today’s society. It used to be that everyone sort of kept to themselves with their religion. They did their thing, and kept quiet about it (translation in my terms, respectful of others and whatever they might believe). Now religion is in the news daily, its part of our politics, (which it was never supposed to be) [Religion and Public Policy] schools are filled with the melting pot of ethnic groups and religions seem to come as a variety pack. There are over 1700 versions of Christianity, 1400 in the US alone, all claiming the others are fundamentally wrong. (Does anyone think that is what a savior named Jesus would have wanted, or do you agree, everyone should admit they may be wrong?) You take those 1400 versions of the one religion, mix in some Islam, Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist, Hinduism, Chinese traditional religions, Buddhism, primal-indigenous, African Traditional & Diasporic, Sikhism, Juche, Spiritism, Judaism, Jainism, Shinto, Cao Dai, Zoroastrianism, Neo-Paganism, Unitarian-Universalism and let’s not forget the Scientologist… and you have to ask yourself, what the fuck? I’m not sure where the rest of you learned right and wrong, but not everyone can be right on this deal, somebody is dead ass wrong and that’s that. Some of the above listed parishioners are praying to a monkey… others to a stature and yet others to a book they just made up, and unlike Christians, Jew and Muslims they admit they made it up! Now for those of you who are my religious friends, don’t get all worked up into a froth, I’m not question “your” faith… and I’m not mocking. I’m merely in question of religion, and that is ok… I could be wrong… can you say that?

I would argue the mixing of religions and ethnic groups in this way is a fantastic aspect and the exposure “should” create an environment of tolerance and better understanding; however, I’m not sure that is the case in our country. Socialization, or the social studies of religions seems to have been effective in many of the European countries, but it has failed to take hold in our own country, why? Why don’t we teach our children about “ALL” the religions of the world. Why don’t we treat them all with equal emphasis? Could it be we are prejudice in favor of our native teachings about religion? Isn’t that the very thing we are upset with Muslims about in the Middle East? Many religious people in our country actually “cling” to their faith and cherish the fact that it is an unknown which is bigger than them and therefore something they “truly believe” in. It just seems crazy to me that carbon date testing is questioned, while un-provable stories written thousands of years ago are taken as “facts”. Even more than that, some, if not most of them are put out there as having been written by the big guy himself. (Credibility is critical to all religious books/doctrine so saying the words were actually written by “the GOD” seems to be the easiest way to clear that up) It would seem to me it should be the other way around, but you know me, I could be wrong. It would seem that in many parts of our country, especially major metropolitan areas it is causing a rift between the various sects of religion. At some point people are going to have to begin accepting the fact that they don’t know the truth. Religion is “all” based on a smattering of factual documents, (some religions are based on some facts, others are completely made up) “all” of which are incredibly old and “all” of which are, at the end of the day, non-provable. No one even argues about that, actually, most embrace the unknown as the part to cling to and call it “faith”. Anyone who would “kill” another human being in the name of defending religion has completely lost me. What creates such indignation, hatred, and desire to be right? Why does any of it matter? If people can be trained to believe in all the craziness that religion presents to people, (people are still searching for an arch in which some guy who lived to be over 600 years old gathered up two of each species on the planet to save them from a flood… are you serious?) why is it so difficult for people to believe that it “might not be so”? Many skeptics, agnostics or atheist would say, if you can believe in heaven or hell, (which by the way, are equally as provable and plausible as the existence of Santa Clause or the Tooth Fairy) believing that they may not be true should be a walk in the park.

It’s ok to admit you might be wrong! If every person, pastor, priest, monk, rabbi, cleric and councilor would stand up tomorrow and simply admit they “might” be wrong… the world would be a better, brighter and stronger place. People in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Northern Africa, Jerusalem and Palestine and many, many other countries around the world could set down their guns, spears, bibles and Korans and have a drink together (for those who drinking is against your religion… welcome to the Lutheran/Catholic side of religion!). But for thousands of years, they have been unwilling to admit they might be wrong. These are the lessons we teach our children in Sunday schools and Masks all over this country. We have gotten smarter about it over the years, we disguise it in niceness, kindness and community support. We have adopted acceptable philosophies of guilt and shame which help to fill the coffers of the Church. We have set up rules for the Church that make it tax exempt, secretive and for members only. Your way is the “only” way… it is the “right” way… and everyone else is wrong… What the hell people, wake up and smell the fuse burning. Can’t you see there is some inherent bad coming from all this unfettered belief? It scares me a little I’m not afraid to admit, and it should scare you too.

Ok, sorry, I said I wouldn’t get off on a rant and I obviously did. It would seem that our country has become so comfortable with debt that it simply accepts that it is ok to spend money we haven’t made yet. What example does that set? What precedence does that set? Have we set our children up to be the first generation of children who actually have it worse off than we did? I don’t know for sure, but it has been something on my mind lately. It’s just what I think, I could be wrong. Now go out there and do some good would ya?

Take care,

JC Vestweber
10/21/08

Logic does not hold water in politics today...

Ever heard of oovoo?

Interesting stuff I ran across last night...

This is not what I think... but is what someone else thinks... they could be wrong

Inside this Article
Introduction to 5 Green Myths
Green Myth 5: When Appliances Are Off, They Don't Use Power
Green Myth 4: Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency Are the Same
Green Myth 3: Organic Is Always Better
Green Myth 2: Hybrid Vehicles Are Better Choices Than Standard Cars
Green Myth 1: Planting Trees Will Fix Global Warming
Lots More Information
See all Green Science articles

2008 DeKam Family Weekend Part I

These are posted on YouTube and I have them on my facebook page too. Hope you enjoy a look into one of our most treasured summertime activities.

2008 DeKam Family Weekend Part II

Part II of II

We have lost sight of what it means to be "A Conservative Republic”

I'm no longer on the left or the right on this deal, nor should anyone else be, but I am good and nervous about our economy and have a fair amount of respect for Pat Buchanan. I don't agree with everything he shouts from the mountain, but this article points out some very good (bad) things. It's time to circle the waggons boys, get back to what really matters in this country and start taking care of our own. Shed the debt and stop living with our heads in the sand.

The Party's Over: By Patrick J. Buchanan

Just what someone else thinks, they could be wrong.

I stumbled onto this fantastic article today and would like to pass it along. It sums up a ton of frustrations I have had with both our presidential candidates. The source is pretty fantastic, I would encourage all of my readers to peruse it's content. Enjoy the article.

McBama vs. America
by Craig Biddle

To all of you who have been to the Sutliff Bridge with us, I thought you would appreciate this.

A Tribute to the Sutliff Bridge

You can see pictures, other videos, and more at: KCRG.com

How Spoiled are we?

This week has been crazy. The AIG bailout, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, WaMu, Lehman-Barclays, Morgan/Wachovia, and don’t think it’s over yet.

Headline CNN:
12th bank failure of the year announced!
Detroit wants its bailout too
Why the Fed pulled the trigger on AIG

At the end of the week, the DOW off just 33 points… the S&P up 13.

Is anyone else a little embarrassed? I almost feel a little ashamed. I have been talking to my friends for the past several years about the continued growth of the US and asking the question, how can it continue? I’m not the smartest cookie in the jar and I went to school for all the wrong reasons, but I’ve spent a few years trying to fill in the alcohol soaked, blank learning years of my youth. After a bit on contemplation, I think our expectations might be a bit exorbitant.

How Spoiled are we?

How big is big enough? This is an article about a home in Connecticut that boasts 33,500 square feet of space. Are you kidding me? Does anyone in this country still wonder why every other country in the world thinks we are fat, arrogant, ego driven, bigger is better, oil gorging, energy sucking, money grubbing, gas guzzling, we are the greatest country in the world… Americans?

Now don’t get me wrong, I still love this country and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else… yet. The question I can’t stop asking myself is when is enough enough? How much money do we have to have? How big do our homes have to be? How much does a company have to grow every year? How much do earnings have to go up every year to satisfy the stockholders? When do we get to a point where doing as well as we did last year is satisfactory? Admittedly, I’m not an actuary; economist or historian, so I lack the ability, faculties, or education to speak intelligently about any of this. I do, however, have the ability to be self aware and see what is going on around me. We are spoiled. We as a county need to simmer down, take a good dose of humility, let go of some of our SUV driving, bigger is better attitude and simply be happy with everything we have.

Has anyone else started to ask themselves what happened to the days when people saved, (Remember that words, for those of you who may have never heard of this word, it is defined as: to set aside money for later use, often adding to the sum periodically) their money to buy something “before” they purchased it? Ok, in this scenario I get to be the pot and you (the reader) can be the kettle. Of course I’m as guilty as anyone on this note, I’m just admitting its wrong and we should address it. Everyone who has a household income of 75K a year feels it’s normal and sensible that they should be able to live in a 300K dollar home. Not only is it crazy that people feel this should be ok, but it’s even crazier that there are banks, mortgage brokers and lenders who would allow it. Maybe what this country, and all the people in it really need is a good strong dose of reality and a good swift kick in the ass. Just what I think, I could be wrong.

For those of you who loved the Sutliff Bridge…

Little tribute to the Cedar River

Little tribute to the Sutliff Bridge

We Live In A Great City... Cedar Rapids

So tonight I went to the Cedar Rapids Citizen Feedback meeting sponsored by the City of Cedar Rapids. I have to tell you, I left feeling pretty damn great about being a citizen of Cedar Rapids. When you consider what this community has been through in the past several months, with the flood and all the devastation that has taken place. To have a city manager, staff and city council that has persevered through this and is still willing to take personal time to sit down with citizens and listen to feedback should make every citizen stand up and consider what a great community we live in.

I can't help but reflect on how strong a community we live in. For anyone doing random searches about Cedar Rapids, or considering moving to this great community there are definitely things you should consider before moving here. You may be doing your "Pros" and "Con's" SWAT list of qualities to determine if Cedar Rapids is a community you would want to move your family to. You will be considering things like schools, entertainment, and local attractions. One thing you simply cannot demonstrate to those who have never lived here is how genuinely good the people are in this city. No, not every person and no, not every day. But when the chips are down and times get rough, this community will be there to care for those in need. Businesses will rally around those in need and decisions will get made in an effort to manufacture results, make mistakes, move things forward and make more decisions. As much as this community will accept help from organizations like the state and federal government, you can rest assured it will not wait for handouts or complain that what they do receive isn't enough. I sincerely believe that if there had been zero dollars given to Cedar Rapids, this community would have recovered from this disaster within five years to a point where evidence of the flood would be difficult to find.

I wish there was a way to demonstrate to those unfamiliar with Cedar Rapids what a great place this can be to call home. It's true, different strokes for different folks, and if skiing, deep sea fishing, scuba diving, or mountain climbing happen to be your hobbies of choice, you may be setting yourself up for a dose of culture shock. However, if wholesome living amongst generally honest, hardworking decent people where the accidental leaving of ones laptop computer on the passenger seat of an unlocked car won't lead to a police report in the morning is what you're after, I recommend you come visit our fair city and meet some of the people here. You won't be disappointed. If you'd like a personal guided tour, give me a call or drop me some feedback here and I'd be happy to help in any way I can. You should also take time to check out these sites: The Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce or The City of Cedar Rapids Website.