Last Word

Shopping center alert: inappropriate child labor

June 8th, 2016

Nikki Berglund was in her restaurant, Luna Fargo, 1545 University Drive South, in the Southside Shopping Center, at the beginning of the lunch rush.

“A little boy around four years old came in by himself and was selling plastic flowers with pens attached.”

“We asked what he was selling them for and he said so he could ‘go to Disneyland’”

He had no adult with him. Berglund asked him where his mom was. “He pointed to a vehicle outside. At no point did he make eye contact with…

Back to the Future with North Dakota Democrats

May 6th, 2016

“Democratic-NPL lawmakers called on Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple this morning to call a special legislative session to address…budget cuts to human services and property taxes. [They]said the budget cuts should be amended legislatively to fully preserve property tax cuts made to residents as well as programs used by North Dakota families that could be negatively impacted. The…proposal would move approximately $40.6 million from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund to…

BRUSH UP YOUR ORWELL, AND YOUR MOLLY IVINS!

March 30th, 2016

“Brush up your Shakespeare, start quoting him now…” - Cole Porter

“When the white man turns tyrant, it is his own freedom he destroys.” - George Orwell

“…there’s not a thing wrong with the ideals and mechanisms outlined and the liberties set forth in the Constitution of the United States. The only problem was, the founders left a lot of people out of the Constitution. They left out poor people and black people and female people. It is possible to read the history of this…

Process vs. Perception in the Iowa Caucuses

February 22nd, 2016

“Here's a warning about watching the Iowa caucuses: There's not a lot to watch and the process is mostly incomprehensible.” - USA Today, 02/01/16

“Even as candidates fight from state to state, the real objective in their minds is the total number of delegates needed to secure the nomination. Achieving that number means ginning up enthusiasm, especially among base voters in early states like Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada, because the more energy generated, the…

A Short History of the Middle East

January 18th, 2016

By Elaine Beitelspacher

In light of recent events I have spent some time educating myself on the history of the Middle East. Needless to say, this is an enormous topic and I don’t pretend to be an expert, but I have learned a few things that I think would be helpful for people to know. To make a very long story short, the history of the Middle East is a history of the rise and fall of empires. There were the Assyrians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans and the Ottoman Turks to…

Better leadership needed for vibrant North Dakota future

January 18th, 2016

by Merrill Piepkorn

Over 50 years ago, Bob Dylan penned the lyrics, “The times, they are a-changin’.” It seems as though the current North Dakota state legislature is reluctant to accept what has happened since: The times, they have a-changed. While our present lawmakers seem bent on building barriers to social change, I believe that most North Dakotans — certainly those in my district, District 44 — embrace social change, acceptance, and individual responsibility.

I am announcing…

Merry Christmas Joseph Campbell

December 25th, 2015

Or why the Star Wars queue at Christmas makes me smile

by Chris Fradkin, PhD

It’s in the theaters. Star Wars is cleaning up and breaking all the records. Which for scientists like me shouldn’t mean a lot, I know. But inside, part of me is smiling.

It’s the Christmas lights? you say. No. The children singing carols? Uh, uh. For me, the reason runs much deeper. It’s because a study I co-authored, just released and gathering interest, is indirectly tied to Star Wars.

George Lucas, the…

Beyond Scrooge: The Golden Calf “Trumps” The Golden Rule

December 18th, 2015

“And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves; They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” - Exodus 32: 7,8

“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” - Mark 12: 31

“What you do…

Republican “Weapons of Mass Distraction” drown children of science and democracy

December 9th, 2015

“See no Science, Hear no Science, Speak No Science” - Wealthy Republican Oligarchs before Party fundraisers at their Exclusive Club for Know-Nothings.

“I’m not a scientist either, but I can use my brain, and I can talk to one.” - Former Republican Governor Charlie Crist [D-FL], July 26, 2014

“It seems clear to me...that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation." - Pope Francis, Washington, D.C., Sept. 23, 2015

Despite the overwhelming…

ND voter ID law violates federal law

November 24th, 2015

By Bob Valeu

North Dakota voter ID requirement is the most restrictive voter ID law in the nation. It is corrupted, violates federal law and threatens to disenfranchise thousands of voters in 2016.

In their zeal to gain political advantage, the Republican-controlled legislature managed to push through a new law without any significant vetting.

The law comingles voter ID procedures with driver’s licensing ID rules. Voters are required to “register” if using a driver license form of…