‘Commentary’ Archives
Thoughts From Smith Foundry
by Peter Molenaar Folks driving 28th Street en route to Hiawatha Avenue and perhaps to Lake Street shopping are asked to glance right just east of Cedar Avenue. The rather unattractive dirty brown building seen there is home to Smith Foundry. Molten iron is sand cast within. This writer has survived 31 years of employment with Smith. Actually, I am part of the aging remnant workforce which is credited with having saved the company. Such was the result of labor heroism coupled to the sad fact of our acquiescence to a one year take-away contract. For this we recently were rewarded with an all-you-can-eat in-plant pizza feed at which the office manager declared in her address: “You are the best.” Yes, I stuffed myself. But now a better contract has come due. At present, more than half the laid-off guys have been rehired. This appears to bode well for business and employment in general inasmuch as foundries are bedrock to the “real” economy. Or, we might [...]
“Thoughts From Powderhorn Lake”
by Peter Molenaar At every mid-month, contributors to The Alley are pressed into duty (or are otherwise moved by a profound love). Consequently, this writer missed ice-out day at Powderhorn””so be it. Now, at mid-April, a nice start towards a summer tan has been achieved thanks to the early spring warm-up. Folks who descend each year to feed ducks and geese are greeted as well by the raucous demands of visiting gulls””intelligent birds who speak directly. Having satisfied them, a small group formed next to me upon the concrete ledge which holds the shore line. I was awe-struck. Gulls are utterly handsome and exquisitely evolved birds. Sensing my new-found admiration, in unison they turned to display the V formed by their black trim tail feathers. I had been invited to join the flock. Question: Does an early spring coupled with a cold winter mean that the global warming disbelievers club can have its cake and eat it too? It was supposed to have been a warm El Nino [...]
