September 16th, 2025
By Ed Raymond
What are the four freedoms of Donald John Trump?
Nearly a century ago, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said every citizen in the United States of America should have four freedoms: Freedom from want and fear, freedom of speech and freedom of worship. In 2025, President Donald John Trump has demonstrated his four freedoms: Freedom from truth, constitutional law, empathy and freedom of Christian Nationalism, cruelty and torture.
On August 26, the CEO…
September 8th, 2025
By Ed Raymond
If a child is drowning in a ditch, will you get your shoes muddy?
“Big Moma” Leah Drumwright was a Black slave in the 19th century who had one of her numerous babies and was nursing an infant. At the same time, her white owner had a baby. Leah was assigned the task of also nursing that child. She was ordered to always nurse the white child on her left breast. Rationale? The left breast furnished healthier milk because it was closer to the heart, so…
August 25th, 2025
By Ed Raymond
Trump: the new man for all seasons
Five hundred years ago, Lord Chancellor Sir Thomas More of England refused to write a letter to Pope Clement VII of the Roman Catholic Church asking that he annul the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon because she had failed to give him a son to succeed him to the throne. He wanted to marry the beautiful young Anne Boleyn so she could provide him with sons and fun. More also refused to take an oath declaring…
August 19th, 2025
By Ed Raymond
Will the disappeared ever be able to appear again? Not likely!
In dictionaries more than a decade old, the word “disappear” appears all alone. The definition: “to pass out of sight either suddenly or gradually vanish. To die out, to become extinct.” In the Microsoft Encarta College Dictionary’s recent edition, the word “disappeared’ appears just below “disappear” with this definition: “People who have been arrested by a regime that…
August 13th, 2025
By Ed Raymond
Reagan laughed and quipped — but it has come true under our CEO
President Reagan thought he was joking when he spoke to a 1980s political rally: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.’” Many people in this cruel world of America in 2025 are “most” terrified when CEO Donald Trump sends Secretary Krazy Kristi Noem of Homeland Security and ICE forces out to “help,”…
July 29th, 2025
By Ed Raymond
Notes about terror, tyranny, torture, freedom, laws, lies, and truth
When Vice President Mike Pence needed an answer to a question about the 2020 presidential election that might end American democracy or strengthen it, he did not call on a member of the Supreme Court or Chief Justice John Roberts. He called on a conservative Republican-appointed judge named Michael Luttig, an appeals court judge with fifteen years of experience, who was relatively…
July 21st, 2025
By Ed Raymond
There might be room for Trump on Mount Rushmore after all
During King Donald’s first term he told Kristi Noem, then a congresswoman and now his secretary of homeland security, his dream was to be on Mount Rushmore some day. On January 28, 2025, Florida Congresswoman Anna Pauline Luna (is that short for lunatic?) introduced such a bill. “The bill is intended to honor Trump for his impact on America and the historical significance of his leadership…
July 7th, 2025
By Ed Raymond
Why doesn’t the world require politicians to leave office at 60?
Most of the leaders of countries, whether gods, fascists, democrats or socialists, are not doing very well these days. David Van Reybrouck, a Netherlands philosopher writes: “This is an unprecedented moment. The previous global disorder — Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Mao — were all in their 30s or 40s when they rose to power. A new generation built a new world and lived with its…
July 1st, 2025
By Ed Raymond
A syndrome is defined as a group of signs and symptoms that collectively indicate or characterize a disease, psychological disorder, or other abnormal condition and any complex of symptoms of an undesirable condition or quality. So far, our medical experts have been treating about 7,000 rare diseases and thousands of syndromes for decades. After reading the life story of Vance Luther Boelter, the murderer and shooter of four Minnesota politicians and…
June 24th, 2025
By Ed Raymond
We need Paul Revere on a Harley: “ants and autocrats are coming!”
The Asian needle ant has been nesting in the American South since at least 1932. It probably hitched a ride on a freighter from a tropical Asian country delivering some exotic lumber used in furniture. This ant loves warm temperatures and rotten wood, in which it nests. They have discovered that climate change in the Divided States of America is not a hoax. The biting ants have rather…
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By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comDairy Queen restaurants across the country will raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals during Miracle Treat Day on Thursday, July 31. At least one dollar from every Blizzard…
By Michael M. Millermichael.miller@ndsu.edu The Northwest Blade, from Eureka, South Dakota, published a wonderful story in August 2020. It’s called “Granddaughter keeps Grandmother’s precious chamomile seeds,” by Cindy…
October 3-5, 2025Memorial Union at NDSU, 1401 Administrative Ave., Fargo With the theme of “Existence is Resistance: Healing Through Unity,” this year’s summit will kick off with a professional development day followed by a…
By John Strandjas@hpr1.com Yes, we know, everywhere you look, the world situation is mental. It’s almost inescapable just how tenuous life’s circumstances are. And how they are mostly — pretty much entirely — out of our…
By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWhat are the four freedoms of Donald John Trump? Nearly a century ago, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said every citizen in the United States of America should have four freedoms: Freedom from…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…
By Rick Gion and Nichole Hensenrickgion@gmail.com The wait is finally over. Those who have visited Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Cafe lately know about the recent major additions and renovations that have taken place over the past…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Dakotah Faye is a hip-hop artist from Minot, North Dakota, and he’s had a busy year. He’s released two albums. This summer he opened for Tech N9ne in Sturgis and will be opening for Bone…
By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com As a follow-up to “The Whale,” a raucous adaptation of the first novel in Charlie Huston’s Henry Thompson series was a good choice for eclectic auteur Darren Aronofksy, whose bold visions…
By HPR staffsubmit@hpr1.com Mark the first weekend of October on your calendar. It’s the weekend of the Studio Crawl, which takes us all on a wonderful, metro-wide tour of our talented (and often wacky) arts community. On October…
Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comPenn & Teller are returning to their roots. The legendary magic and comedy duo will appear on the Crown Stage at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, Minnesota, where they first…
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…
By Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com Loneliness is on the rise in North Dakota, where there is one of the highest rates of people living alone. The challenging winter can be a major contributor, yet North Dakota is not alone.…
By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…
By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.com Working in the Bakken oil fields of the Williston Basin is so different from my home in Fargo. I'm not judging, because the people working and living in western North Dakota are very…
