Gomers -- What's going wrong

BUG WATCH: The kudzu bug, an Asian transplant, is sweeping through the South, sucking the life out of many farmers' soybean plants. Iowa farmers worry it will spread here because the pest can weather colder climates.

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DEADLINE MISSED: The Physician Payment Sunshine Act passed in early 2010 requires public disclosure of any payments, travel or entertainment given to physicians by pharmaceutical, medical device and biologics manufacturers. The law - aimed at reducing conflicts of interest that may affect patients - took effect Oct. 1, and was co-sponsored by Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa. The federal agencies involved with implementing the rules have missed the deadline. Grassley is pushing for an explanation and action.

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CHILLING FORECAST: Enough, weather forecasters. What's with the prediction that Iowa and much of the upper Midwest will get the nation's worst of what's predicted to be a cold and snowy winter? We hope you're wrong because Iowa is working on strings of five consecutive snowy and four straight colder-than-average winters.

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