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PAULA MEHMEL: Shoot the Rapids — Blame Humans, Not God

Posted on by Paula Mehmel 1 Comment on PAULA MEHMEL: Shoot the Rapids — Blame Humans, Not God

I​ ​hate​ ​the​ ​phrase​ ​“act​ ​of​ ​God.” ​In​ ​legal​ ​usage​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​English–speaking​ ​world,​ ​an​ ​act​ ​of​ ​God​ ​is​ ​a​ ​natural​ ​disaster outside​ ​human​ ​control,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​an​ ​earthquake,​ ​hurricane,​ ​flood​ ​or​ ​tsunami,​ ​for​ ​which​ ​no​ ​person can​ ​be​ ​held​ ​responsible. As​ ​a​ ​pastor,​ ​I​ ​have​ ​always​ ​found​ ​it​ ​interesting​ ​that​ ​the​ ​only​ ​time​ ​God​ ​ever​ ​makes​ ​it​ ​into​ ​the …

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JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — An Open Letter To Governor Doug Burgum, On The Occasion Of The Greatest Threat Ever To The Little Missouri State Scenic River

Posted on by Jim Fuglie 2 Comments on JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — An Open Letter To Governor Doug Burgum, On The Occasion Of The Greatest Threat Ever To The Little Missouri State Scenic River

Dear Gov. Burgum, Let me quote from the conservation easement you signed for some ranchland you and your friends own in southwest North Dakota’s Bad Lands six years ago: “The Protected Property possesses agricultural, scenic, and historic, and cultural values. The Protected Property is located in the heart of the only Ponderosa pine forest in North Dakota, south of Teddy …

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JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — Act Today To Protect The Little Missouri State Scenic River

Posted on by Jim Fuglie

There are two or three days left in the legislative session. A lot of bad things are going to happen to North Dakota in that short period of time. I’ve been watching every legislative session since 1975, and this one is by far the most irresponsible I’ve seen. One of the worst things that could happen this week is the industrialization …

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NANCY EDMONDS HANSON: After Thought — Blowin’ In The Wind

Posted on by Nancy Edmonds Hanson

When my fellow Fish opinionator Tom Davies looks out at his backyard, he sees bald eagles, turkey vultures and courting bunnies. When I look out at ours, I see … plastic sacks. Yes, empty sacks — caught up near the tippy tops of the crabapple tree beside the deck and the maple in the corner. From ground level, one appears …

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JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — State Agency Breaks The Law 600 Times; How Much Jail Time Do You Get For That?

Posted on by Jim Fuglie

The North Dakota State Water Commission has violated state law more than 600 times in recent years, by issuing permits for industrial use of water (read: fracking oil wells) from the Little Missouri State Scenic River. Employees there claim they didn’t know they weren’t supposed to do that. I believe them. But that’s no excuse. More on that in a …

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MARTIN C. FREDRICKS IV: Four The Record — Put Your Sustainable Mind/Feet Where Your Mouth Is

Posted on by Martin C. Fredricks IV

Two Events Bringing Together Friends, Neighbors & Civic Leaders So you say you want to protect the environment. That you’re for clean air, safe water and a livable planet. Mr./Ms. Sustainability… that’s you. Well, then. You need to be at a couple of events coming up in Fargo, N.D., this month. They’re great opportunities to put your environmental action mind/feet where …

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TOM DAVIES: The Verdict — Frack You!

Posted on by Tom Davies

After some reading and TV reports on the relationship between fracking and earthquakes in oil county, I’m concerned. Studies have shown that oil extraction by hydraulic fracturing is behind a number of earthquakes in areas not usually associated with seismic activity, especially Oklahoma. There are two forms of man-induced earthquakes. One is clearly related to fracking. Hydraulic fracturing involves the …

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MARTIN C. FREDRICKS IV: Four The Record — Green Assault

Posted on by Martin C. Fredricks IV

Safe drinking water. Clean air. Wild lands that maintain plant and animal diversity. The very health of the planet itself. They were all here, in great shape and in abundance before any of us arrived. In my judgment, they should all be here when we turn things over to our children and grandchildren. If you agree, start paying attention. Not …

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CLAY JENKINSON: The Fallacies of the Dakota Access Pipeline ‘Argument’

Posted on by Clay Jenkinson

There is a dreary predictability about the Dakota Access Pipeline controversy, especially in the words that come out of people unsympathetic to the protest. I’m listing those I hear most often: 1. There are lots of non-Indians down there. They have no business here. They discredit (here’s the special kicker in this argument) “what otherwise would have been a perfectly legitimate …

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TONY J BENDER: That’s Life — Taking The State Back

Posted on by Tony J Bender

You are being rescued. Republican state legislators are taking North Dakota back. From themselves. In the immortal words of Stevie Wonder, who used to be a legislator from District 28, “Don’t you worry ’bout a thing, Pretty Mama.” And let me tell you, Al Carlson, another blind legislator, hates being called Pretty Mama. The mama part, anyway. There’s a lot …

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TONY J BENDER: That’s Life — Facts You Won’t Hear About The DAPL

Posted on by Tony J Bender

Here are some facts that you won’t hear from the pipeline shills and propagandists: • The tribe was not offered millions to allow the pipeline. That planted rumor was denied by Dakota Access Pipeline folks themselves. A stupid rumor considering the pipeline follows an established corridor. • The tribes were consulted by the U.S. Army Corps on the water. Nope. …

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Tony J Bender: That’s Life — Protesters Force Bulldozers Off Sacred Site

Posted on by Tony J Bender

The following is a report on the events that are unfolding south of Mandan, N.D., near the boundary of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. The story is by Tony Bender and his son, Dylan, and appeared today in the Ashley (N.D.) Tribune and Wishek (N.D.) Star. The accompanying video was shot by Dylan, who is a student at Bismarck State College. An …

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CLAY JENKINSON: Standing Rock — A Plea To Keep This Pure — And Non-Violent

Posted on by Clay Jenkinson

In the southern heart of North Dakota, we may be witnessing the beginning of a national and international pan-Indian renewal of First Peoples, Indigenous Peoples, Native Americans. Anything that helps rebuild Indian pride, cultural confidence and a firm and solid assertion of Native American rights is a good thing for all of us, for all Americans. It is past time …

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JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — May YOU Live In Interesting Times

Posted on by Jim Fuglie

Today I am 69. It is a meaningless birthday, in a world and time when numbers that don’t end in zero or five are of little consequence. But it is significant in that I am still here. Males in my family don’t generally live this long. I kind of wish I had planned a little better. But I am grateful to still …

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CLAY JENKINSON: I Respect The Protests At Standing Rock

Posted on by Clay Jenkinson

It’s in all of our interests to show respect for the protests now under way at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation (and nearby). I acknowledge that the pipeline company has a right to extend its oil pipeline across the Missouri River (willing buyer — willing seller, the very essence of American capitalism). I acknowledge that the state of North Dakota has …

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JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — Who’s Looking Out For The Little Missouri?

Posted on by Jim Fuglie

I love the Little Missouri River. It is one of the longest, free-flowing rivers in America. In reality, I believe it IS the longest because the Yellowstone, which claims the honor, is full of low-head dams that create little pools and eddies all along its length, even though they don’t create giant reservoirs like the Big Missouri’s dams do. The …

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JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — Whither The Meadowlark? A Message For North Dakotans Who Enjoy The Outdoors

Posted on by Jim Fuglie

Here’s a question for some of you who spend a lot of time in the outdoors in the fall: How was your pheasant season? “Good enough, I guess,” would be my response. All of us who hunt pheasants in North Dakota are loathe to say anything gloomier than that, because saying “It wasn’t all that great” might mean admitting: We …

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LINKS TO NEWS YOU MIGHT FIND INTERESTING: Something Is Really Wrong With The USA

Posted on by Kevin Grinde

Americans have lost confidence in just about everything The USA, Americans say, basically sucks right now. The latest Gallup Poll says Americans over the past two years have lost confidence in, well — name it: Congress (8 percent); the presidency (33 percent); Supreme Court (32 percent); big friggin banks (“institutions” that made $4 billion charging customers for money transactions … 28 …

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