Editorial

NU’s Budget Request An Investment In State, People

Published by Nikki Palmer on Wed, 03/15/2023 - 2:00am

The University of Nebraska is asking the Legislature for a 3% increase in state appropriations in each of the next two years.

Gov. Jim Pilllen, who was a member of the NU Board of Regents when it approved the 3% increase proposal, has included a 2% increase in his budget proposal, an amount reflected in the Appropriations Committee’s initial budget.

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A Password For This – A Password For That!

Published by Nikki Palmer on Wed, 03/15/2023 - 1:00am

Have you ever had to create a new password somewhere and forgotten it before you saved it? Or have you had trouble creating a password long enough, so that it says “strong”? Or had so many different passwords you couldn’t remember them all?

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Improving The Quality Of Justice In Nebraska

Published by jason@omahadail... on Mon, 03/13/2023 - 2:00am

Lincoln Journal Star

Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Heavican was direct with state senators when he delivered his State of the Judiciary address last week: Nebraska needs to address significant challenges presented by mental health issues of those who have been caught up in the state’s judicial system.

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The Stockdale Paradox

Published by Nikki Palmer on Wed, 03/08/2023 - 2:00am

This paradox was coined after Admiral James Stockdale, a long-time prisoner of war in the “Hanoi Hilton” during the Vietnam War, from 1965-1972. He was a Naval Aviator shot down and captured. He was the highest-ranking officer in the POW camp.

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Point v. Counter-Point: Legislative Bill 753: Opportunity Scholarship Bill Won’t Do Much For Rural Nebraska Children

Published by Nikki Palmer on Mon, 03/06/2023 - 3:00am

Legislative Bill 753, a bill to send $25 million to private schools through the guise of excessive tax credits for donations to scholarship granting organizations, will do next to nothing for rural Nebraska and our kids.

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The Highlight of My Job

Published by Nikki Palmer on Fri, 03/03/2023 - 2:00am

Constituents often ask me in person or in their letters what my favorite part of serving as your Senator is. I always give the same answer: returning to Nebraska and hearing directly from you, my fellow Nebraskans.

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Keeping Public Records Open To The Public

Published by Nikki Palmer on Thu, 03/02/2023 - 2:00am

It may not be as riveting as some headlines recently, but there weren’t many more important:

“Judge rules for news nonprofit” told the story of Lancaster County District Judge Ryan Post’s ruling in favor of the Flatwater Free Press, a nonprofit news organization, suing the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy over a $44,000 bill for public records.

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Look Upstream

Published by Nikki Palmer on Wed, 03/01/2023 - 12:00am

Imagine living in a world that always looked upstream to address the problems we face. Instead of repeatedly putting out fires (whether real or metaphorical), we looked at how to prevent them in the first place. That is precisely the approach numerous organizations are taking across Nebraska when it comes to addressing dental health. Intervene early – prevent suffering later.

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Bad Beliefs: Misinformation Is Factually Wrong – But Is It Ethically Wrong, Too?

Published by Nikki Palmer on Tue, 02/28/2023 - 4:00am

The impact of disinformation and misinformation has become impossible to ignore. Whether it is denial about climate change, conspiracy theories about elections, or misinformation about vaccines, the pervasiveness of social media has given “alternative facts” an influence previously not possible.

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In Rural America, Right-To-Repair Laws Are The Leading Edge Of A Pushback Against Growing Corporate Power

Published by Nikki Palmer on Mon, 02/27/2023 - 4:00am

Waiting for repairs can cost farmers time and money. (Shutterstock)

As tractors became more sophisticated over the past two decades, the big manufacturers allowed farmers fewer options for repairs. Rather than hiring independent repair shops, farmers have increasingly had to wait for company-authorized dealers to arrive. Getting repairs could take days, often leading to lost time and high costs.