‘Commentary’ Archives
State Fair Angst
By Peter Molenaar “Angst” is a German word which has achieved vernacular status in the contemporary English. It means: anxiety with a little depression thrown in. For our purposes, the word connotes an omnipresent but less than full-blown anxiety, which normally remains repressed by the requirements of daily living. To the discerning eye, an under-current of angst was revealed among the gathered “masses” at this year”'s State Fair. We are the masses. Unfortunately, our angst has become a playground for dishonest politicians. So, the annual reaffirmation of Minnesotan identity has passed. The cow barn displayed again the Jersey Cow with beautiful eyes and baby face. The sheep were proudly groomed, snow-white and alert. Even the hogs were giddy. (more…)
State Commissioner Recklessly Alters Locally Initiated Window Safety Legislation
by Jim Graham Three years ago Minneapolis”' own Linda Berglin and Karen Clark, with a little help from yours truly, got legislation passed to require window fall protection, such as security screens, on all new window construction for multi-unit buildings. It was limited to multi-unit buildings as a compromise, and as a beginning, but also because a huge proportion of child falls came from apartment buildings. It was anticipated even that limited law might prevent up to 80% of child falls. And that it would eventually result in even concerned parents with single family homes installing such screens. Much like the CO regulations has successfully done. The attention and work on that legislation came about because of the sudden awareness of the problem due to Laela Shagobay falling from a window four floors up in a newly constructed building that met ALL construction codes and regulations at the time. That building and some others put on “Safety” screens as soon [...]
