‘Commentary’ Archives
Frank Reflections
By FRANK ERICKSON If Americans want Mexicans to respect U.S. borders, why have Americans never respected Iraqi borders; are not Americans in Iraq “illegal?” Chris Rock said, “Only Brian Williams didn”'t even kill anyone, just lied about what helicopter he was in, a real troublemaker. If you think “war”'s” evidence for existence is rooted in self-defense, how could Iraq”'s right to defend itself in 2003 give the U.S. the freedom to kill? When a local radio station plays Lynyrd Skynyrd, is that not the same as flying the confederate flag? What a dumb idea the “Civil War” was, if the South would have “won,” we would be honoring The Confederate Flag before Twin”'s games and slavery would be the law of the land. Donald Trump should be grateful that Mexicans cannot come to America via attack helicopters and battleships. Mexicans should be welcomed for one reason alone, they don”'t come as [...]
“Democracy” and Bees
My butternut squash plants have commenced to flower and set their early fruit. Like all curcubits (squash, melons, cucumbers, gourds, pumpkins) they are monecious, meaning the male and female aspects are embodied in one plant. However, the flowers themselves are not hermaphroditic. The male and female blooms are separate. The males reveal in morning, only to fade before the day is done. By then bees will have gathered the pollen, and the sperm contained within. Nectar laden females flower the following day, blossoms adorning the miniature fruits with their ovaries and eggs. Joyous bees appear positively ecstatic! But what? Market forces, the profit motive, and corporate domination are killing off our bees. I have in hand two letters from Susan Allen, my state representative. She writes: “Thank you for contacting me to share your support for Governor Dayton”'s proposal for a minimum 50-foot buffer strip along waterways”¦to help increase water quality in our [...]
A Historic Decision! COMMENTARY: Mpls. School Board made a magnanimous commitment of money and intent to youth and the Phillips Aquatic Center partnering with the Mpls. Park Board
BY DENNY BENNETT, Minneapolis Swims, Board of Directors, president Tonight was historic. The in a most selfless and noble act, the resolution below was passed by the Minneapolis School Board. Historic, selfless, noble? Really? Yes, really! First, let me begin by saying tonight caps years of efforts by Minneapolis Swims to convince MPS of the virtues of swimming, and why Phillips, of all places, was the one neighborhood that most deserved a gift from the coffers of the MPS treasury. With MPS firmly entrenched in the philosophy of not investing capital in properties they do not own, and many budget fires of their own to put out, we resigned ourselves to not ever receiving capital dollars from MPS toward this project. Of course, once it is built, we need to make sure it is sustainable, so we were quite pleased to get MPS to agree to a five-year commitment to contribute $150,000 toward operating costs. Over the past year, our fundraising efforts gained momentum and [...]
