One of Fred Rogers’ favorite things was to make connections between people. I often have imagined his delight at the connections I have made these last several years, traveling the country with the message of our unlikely bond. Many of them have been profound but fleeting. Others have developed into friendships that will endure as long as I do. Michael Gingerich and …
Our new political system has America in disarray Tom Engelhardt has written a history of the Cold War, runs TomDispatch.com and is co-founder of the American Empire Project. His latest musings are about a new kind of government being born “right before our eyes.” “Let me make my case, however, minimally, based on five areas in which at least the fain …
Manchamantel is one of the many types of Mole sauces. (France has Mother sauces, Mexico has Moles!) This sauce is one of my favorites because it’s neither too spicy nor too sweet. It really has a great balance of flavor that perks up all of your taste buds. Before we get started, here is a little background. A Mole sauce …
A lot of people bristle at the word “tolerance.” Some bristle because it feels like they’re being forced to put up with the presence and behavior of individuals or groups with whom they disagree. I like to remind those people that as much trouble as they’re having “tolerating” those who are different than them, there’s probably someone else having just as …
Easter wouldn’t be Easter without baked ham. It’s a mouth-watering tradition that’s enjoyed by many families, especially since its perfect for a large gathering. We’re planning on having ham this coming Sunday. It was a no-brainer, since our neighborhood supermarket has a great deal on them this week. And we’re also having my 95-year-old Uncle Curt join us. Uncle Curt …
The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team (29-9-3) defeated St. Cloud State University (20-19-1) in the championship game of the NCAA West Regional on Saturday before a sold-out crowd at Fargo’s Scheels Arena. UND advances to the NCAA Frozen Four in Boston, which starts April 9, to play Boston University ( 29-7-5) in a semifinal game.
The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team (29-9-3) defeated St. Cloud State University (20-19-1) in the championship game of the NCAA West Regional on Saturday before a sold-out crowd at Fargo’s Scheels Arena. UND advances to the NCAA Frozen Four in Boston, which starts April 9.
Maybe there are no shortcuts to wisdom. That idea came up in my recent conversation with a young man named Jonathan Hollingsworth, who strikes me as a compelling example. He grew up in Virginia, the son of a minister and a writer, and was moved by deep spiritual yearnings from early childhood. As a teenager, he sought out the homeless and bought them …
The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team (28-9-3) defeated Quinnipiac University (23-12-4) in the first round of the NCAA West Regional on Friday before a heavily partisan crowd at Fargo’s Scheels Arena. UND plays St. Cloud State (20-18-1) at 8 tonight, the winner advancing to the NCAA Frozen Four in Boston.
If it’s Lent, that must mean Friday night fish dinners, right? There are a bunch of them throughout the region. I got the chance to help serve the one at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Grand Forks last evening. Earlier in the season, Bishop John Folda of the Fargo Diocese acted as guest server. Talk about going from your sacred to …
So, the North Dakota Farmers Union held a big rally Friday on the Capitol steps to kick off the petition drive to refer North Dakota Senate Bill 2351, which would exempt dairies and hog farms from our anti-corporation farming laws. It’s nice to see the spunk coming from the NDFU. I hope their referral effort is successful. It’s got a little …
Dry beans are one of the healthiest foods around. They are loaded with protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals and are low in fat. In addition, they contain several types of phytochemicals, which play a role in preventing osteoporosis, heart disease and certain cancers. That’s pretty heady stuff, but for me, the fact that they are that are low in …
Birds, boats and beautiful sunrises and sunsets are a common spring sight in Florida.
Time-lapse photography, my first attempt, shows shadows slipping across a snowdrift in my backyard.
There’s nothing better than some comfort food on a day that’s cold and windy. And today is one of those days! (Well, actually, you could say that about a lot of days if you live in the Northland, especially North Dakota and Minnesota.) Many dishes fit that bill, but one that does it for me is creamed chicken (in my case, …
Starting plants indoors is a great way to get a jump on the gardening season. Many plants, vegetables and flowers will bloom longer or bear fruit well into autumn if started in spring and set in the garden after the danger of frost passes. If you are attempting this for the first time, get fresh potting soil and trays with small …
It was a chill, dreary first day of spring. We’d just sat down for a nice, hot bowl of soup when the telephone rang. Caller ID said it came from the local area code, so I got up to answer its summons. A very pleasant woman — her voice sounded half-familiar — said she had good news about our local newspaper. It’s …
Kids love tater tots. That’s a given. So it probably goes without saying that a hotdish or casserole that contains tater tots would be popular the youngsters. But it’s not just kids who love tater tots. Whenever I’ve mentioned them to friends or former co-workers, just about all of them rave about a favorite tater tot dish. I remember a …
I am happy with the warmth of the sunshine that has caressed me lately. It reminds me that once again, gardening season is just around the corner. I am very excited to put my shovel into the earth, plant seeds, and let Mother Nature take care of the rest, with little help from me. The world below us is an …
The weekend sun doesn’t look much different at sunrise at The Beach at Fort Meyers or at sunset from a dock at Key West, Fla., in these shots from photographer Jeff Olson of Alexandria, Va.
UND (27-9-3) was defeated 5-1 by Denver University in the Saturday’s third-place game in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Frozen Four Tournament in the Target Center in Minneapolis. UND will still be the No. 1 seed in the the NCAA’s West Regional next weekend in Fargo. UND will meet No. 4 seed Quinnipiac University.
UND (27-8-3) fell 3-2 to St. Cloud State University (19-17-1) in Friday’s semifinals of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Frozen Four Tournament in Minneapolis’ Target Center. North Dakota will play in the third place game at 3:37 p.m. today against Denver University (22-13-2), which lost 6-3 to Miami University of Ohio (24-13-1) in Friday’s other semifinal game.
UND (27-8-3) fell 3-2 to St. Cloud State University (19-17-1) in Friday’s semifinals of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Frozen Four Tournament in Minneapolis’ Target Center. Here are some of the faces in crowd from photographer Russell Hons of Grand Forks, N.D.
UND (27-8-3) fell 3-2 to St. Cloud State University (19-17-1) in Friday’s semifinals of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Frozen Four Tournament in Minneapolis’ Target Center. North Dakota will play in the third place game at 3:37 p.m. Saturday against Denver University (22-13-2), which lost 6-3 to Miami University of Ohio (24-13-1) in the day’s other semifinal game.
If there were ever two foods that were made for each other, they’re grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. It’s not only the perfect soup-and-sandwich combination, it’s a marriage made in heaven. When I was growing up, a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of Campbell’s Tomato Soup was a quick and easy meal for Mom to make for us …
Whoopi Goldberg has said it. Morgan Freeman has said it. I’m not African-American. I’m an American.” To them, and others who promote this racial theory we call “Colorblindness,” my response is always the same: “That’s cute. I wish I lived in that reality.” Here’s why I say this: Both Whoopi and Sir Morgan (I’ve never felt like I could just …
Welcome, Natasha Thomas, to the Fish. Natasha wears many caps. She is a North Dakota-born and -raised, board-certified music therapist, bellydancer, performer and instructor and prime mover for promoting challenging conversations and activism in her local community. You could say Natasha contains more energy than the Bakken Oil Boom. She’s quick to smile and her passion about people is …
326,170 Minnesotans live within half-mile danger zone of Bakken oil trains Transporting oil by rail cars is risky business because North Dakota oil is highly flammable and explosive. Those oil cars cruise past 6 percent of Minnesota’s residents, who live within a half-mile of rail routes carrying crude oil ; a half-mile is considered the evacuation danger zone. Five to seven trains …
Cooking for friends or family who are sick or are grieving the death of a loved one is probably a familiar act to a lot of us. I think many people who live around here in our rural communities can relate. It’s one of those things that is unique to small-town life. Over the years, I’ve delivered food many times …
Tomorrow is the deadline for people to apply to become the next chancellor of the North Dakota Higher Education system. Given the chaos that exists in the state’s higher education system right now, I’ll almost be surprised if anyone applies. I said almost. Because anyone who does apply will surely be well-educated and reasonably intelligent, and so even though they …
One thing was for sure when I was growing up: We could always count on having a noodle hotdish at least once a week, whether it was at home or for school hot lunch. And a lot of people I know share the same experience. The reasoning was twofold: It was inexpensive and you were able to put one together in a hurry, …
The incredible display of Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, on Tuesday night was caused by a severe geomagnetic — or “solar” — storm, which hit the Earth, producing gorgeous auroras and sparking concerns about power disruptions. The storm, which hit the Earth at around 9 a.m., is a “G4” on the five-point scale, according to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. Spaceweather.com reports …
An idea to eliminate pro sports stadium wars For 30 years, the owners of the Professional Sports Cult have screwed the public with a subsidy bill of $17 billion. Sports loyalty, at least in Minnesota, is a one-way street. Pay the bill and watch marginal teams lose. Ahhh. But now, there’s hope for taxpayers down the road, just not in …
Corned beef and cabbage undoubtedly will be on the menu at many Irish-American homes on St. Patrick’s Day, as well as on the menu of many restaurants throughout the U.S. But if you were to go to Ireland, hardly any of the people there will be eating it. That’s because corned beef and cabbage is more of an American tradition. …
I ran across this monument the other day while driving near Rolla, North Dakota. FOUNDERS WE DEDICATE THIS MONUMENT TO THE MEMORY OF THE FINNISH PIONEERS WHO CAME HERE IN 1896 AND AFTER. THEY TILLED THIS SOIL WITH OXEN AND HORSES AND LIVED IN HOUSES OF EARTH SOD. THROUGH THEIR EARLY EFFORTS WE HAVE ACHIEVED OUR PRESENT LIVING STANDARD. NORTH …
Just say no? From Nancy Reagan to North Dakota, that pointless advice has fogged up every debate about marijuana’s legal status from the Jazz Age to the hippie era … right up to this week, when a legislative committee snuffed out a resolution that dared to even bring it up. Yet a rising chorus of voices questions why it ever …
UND’s men’s hockey team (27-7-3) defeated Colorado College ( 6-26-3) 3-2 in Game Two of a best-of-three quarterfinal series in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference tournament Saturday night at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D. With the victory, UND wins the first-round series 2-0 and advances to NCHC’s Frozen Faceoff next weekend in Minneapolis, where it will meet either Western Michigan or St. Cloud State on Friday …
Denny Anderson was among the first to befriend me when I was the new kid in school in eighth grade, and he was like a brother to me through high school and college. Denny and I were roommates in the little town in western North Dakota where I took my first newspaper job. Then, as so often happens, we went our separate ways. I …
UND’s men’s hockey team defeated Colorado College 5-1 in Game One of a best-of-three quarterfinal series in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference tournament Friday night at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D. Game Two is tonight at 7:07.
What’s the most popular day of the year to make a pie? If you guessed today, March 14, I don’t know if you’d be right, but for sure, it would rank right up there with the day before holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter. That’s because March 14 is known as Pi Day in mathematical circles, and it has …
So called tech journalists gathered in San Francisco on Monday to breathlessly wait in awe for Apple CEO Tim Cook to announce details about the oh-so-cool, gotta-have-one “wearable device. It’s a well-known fact that these reporters follow Cook around like puppies following their mother. Meanwhile social media outlets vomited up-to-the second developments — Live Streaming! — from the Apple Special …
It looks like spring has sprung in northern Virginia. These crocuses showed themselves Friday at Downtown Del Ray, Alexandria, Va.
Oil rig activity plunges on the Bakken A top state official says North Dakota could lose as many as 4,000 oil field jobs as production plunges towards 1 million barrels per day, the lowest level since February 2009. The rig count — 193 a year ago — could drop to 100 this year. http://www.startribune.com/business/296155211.html Big oil’s business model is broken Michael Klare …
I met Fred Rogers in the fall of 1995, when I profiled the host of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. I quickly accepted his surprising invitation to friendship. It was three years later, on one of my trips to see Fred at his home in Pittsburgh, that I found a copy of Esquire magazine on a coffee table in his …