August 29th, 2018
Just How Long Will Our Democracy Last?
A truth hit me the other night while Corky and I were watching Simone Biles defend her national championship in gymnastics. Our democracy is very young and vulnerable. One of our daughters was a very competitive gymnast in middle and high school and was a member of the F-M Acro team that entertained at half-time for numerous state and national events, including several National Basketball Association playoff games in the 1970’s. We have…
August 22nd, 2018
What Kind of Country Will Our Grandchildren Live In?
Perhaps the developers of a new science called cliodynamics will help us find an answer. In this new field, scientists and mathematicians analyze history in the hopes they can find trends and patterns in order to predict the future. Remember the adage: “Those who don’t know history are bound to repeat it.” I wonder if they are analyzing history to see if there ever was a leader with less character than Donald Trump. The word…
August 15th, 2018
Well, Mr. President, Have You No Sense Of Decency Sir, At Long Last?
We might have another flag debate in this country. We still see the Confederate symbol flying in activities promoted by white supremacists on the streets of America and at numerous Klu Klux Klan meetings in the South. And on rural pickups. A new American flag has been created by a New York artist that symbolizes our divided country. Yes, the red, white, and blue stars and stripes are still there, but a divided black…
August 8th, 2018
Actually The Times Have Been A-Changin’ Since The Big Bang
Bob Dylan did a terrific job reminding all of us that “the times they are a’changin’.” My first 14 years were spent on a small farm near Little Falls, living in a house with no electricity or running water, reading books by kerosene lamp, and dashing to the two-holer 60 feet away in the boondocks when it was 20 below.
This morning I microwaved an old cup of coffee, got on the Internet and read The Washington Post, The…
August 1st, 2018
1978-2018: Average CEO Pay Up 64% To $13.94 Million Average Worker Pay Up 2.6% To $38,613
Since the Bush Great Recession ended in 2009 corporate profits have grown at an annualized rate of 6.5%. Big bank profits have grown at even a higher rate. If we go back forty years we come up with the shocking figures in the headline. Since the end of the recession in 2009 yearly wage growth has never hit 3% while the Consumer Price Index has hovered around 2%. The Labor Department just announced…
July 25th, 2018
The Long Road From Plymouth Rock To Fantasyland
Did a liberal or conservative make this statement?
“I believe that in a modern, moral, and wealthy society, no person in America should be too poor to live. So what that means is health care is a human right. It means that every child, no matter where you are born, should have access to a college or trade school education if they so choose it. And, you know, I think that no person should be homeless if we can have public structures and…
July 18th, 2018
“Hi Ho, Hi Ho! It’s Off To Work We Go!”
How many undocumented workers are in the United States? Estimates range from 11 to 25 million. We need some history to understand why our immigration laws are in such a mess. The most important of our hundreds of immigration laws has never been enforced. That’s the one that says any employer who hires an undocumented worker is committing a felony and can be rewarded with a clanging jail cell door. Over three decades ago fat cat American…
July 11th, 2018
Can It Happen Here?
So it has finally come to this. From the normal of a century to the abnormal of the last 30 months, we are at each other’s throats. We represent either the “looney left” or the “righteous right.” Instead of negotiating with each other for the common good, a lie-a-minute psychopathic Great Leader has us talking about waves of red and blue, building 2,000-mile great walls, rants about Mexican gang rapists and Muslims terrorizing cities, and accusing Crooked…
June 27th, 2018
How Long is the Civil War Going to Last?
The American Civil War officially ended slavery in 1865 and supposedly freed the slaves. But what has happened in the 150 years since then has not accomplished either. The new voter suppression laws being passed by white Republican legislatures across the country under the guise these laws will eliminate voter fraud are actually beginning the Fifth Jim Crow period since slavery began in the 1600s. Jim Crow #1 started when slavery became the…
June 20th, 2018
Ireland Has Sent Pope Francis and The Vatican A Dear John Letter: “It’s Over!”The Irish people and the Vatican have been developing a huge cultural grand canyon for decades over the issues of gender identities, contraceptives, abortion, same sex marriage, and the roles of women in the church. In an absolutely historic referendum vote in May, Irish voters of the once most-Roman Catholic country in Europe, repealed the 8th amendment in their constitution banning abortion by a 66.4…
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By Bryce Vincent Haugen By his own account, Edwin Chinchilla is lucky to still be in the United States. As a 12-year-old Salvadoran, he and his brother were packed into a semi with a couple dozen other people and given fake…
By Michael M. Miller Rev. Salomon Joachim, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Beulah, North Dakota., delivered an address to the Western Conference of the Dakota District of the American Lutheran Church in 1939. His presentation was…
February 21, 6-8 p.m.Turtle River State Park, Arvilla, NDEnjoy a self-guided hike in the picturesque woods of Turtle River State Park. The trails will be lit with luminary candles. After the hike, warm those bones by the fire at…
By Sabrina HornungThe quote, "The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command” from George Orwell’s iconic novel “1984” has come up in conversation more times than…
By Ed Raymond‘Dakota Attitude’ should be read by all North Dakota studentsI have been meaning to write about this book by James Puppe for several years, but the world has been in such a mess I thought I should write about …
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…
Friday, March 13, 4-10 p.m.Brewhalla, Fargo, 1702 1st Ave. N., FargoPolish up those dancing shoes and come hungry for this ticketed event you won’t want to miss. Expect unlimited samples paired with wine and beer from 20+…
Saturday, January 17, doors at 7:30 p.m.The Aquarium above Dempsey’s, 226 N. Broadway, FargoThe Slow Death is a punk supergroup led by Jesse Thorson, with members and collaborators that include members of The Ergs!, Dillinger…
By Reagan Mueller Movie theaters have always been a place for people to take time out of their busy lives to watch the latest releases on the silver screen. In such a bustling world, it can be difficult to find the motivation to…
By Jacinta ZensWhile researching the upcoming exhibition, “Re-Arming Language: Post-Graffiti Artists,” which opens March 5 at the North Dakota Museum of Art (261 Centennial Dr. in Grand Forks), I spoke with graffiti expert and…
Saturday, January 31, 6:30-9 p.m.Transfiguration Fitness, 764 34th St. N., Unit P, FargoAn enchanting evening celebrating movement and creativity in a staff-student showcase. This is a family-friendly event showcasing pole, aerial…
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 Liverani In January 2026, the 2026-2030 dietary guidelines for Americans were released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They are supposed to be revolutionary and a “reset” from the previous ones.…
January 31, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.Viking Ship Park, 202 1st Ave. N., Moorhead2026 marks 10 years of frosty fun! Enjoy sauna sessions with Log the Sauna, try Snowga (yoga in the snow), take a guided snowshoe nature hike, listen to live…
By Vern Thompson Benjamin Franklin offered one of the most sobering warnings in American history. When asked what kind of government the framers had created in 1787, he replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Few words…
