BY TONY BOUZA A wag, name forgotten, on his deathbed, said, “If this is dying, I don’t think much of it,” and died. This will be my last column. Another wag (they abound) said, “Every hero becomes a bore at the end.” The fat lady has sung. The publisher has…
BY CAM GORDON Hopes are high that when city leaders and the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis begin contract negotiations this fall, the process will be more open to scrutiny and input than it has been in the past. In November, the City Council approved a settlement agreement related to…
BY LYDIA HOWELL This holiday season, cultural wish lists embrace tradition—with unexpected twists. See beloved fiction transformed for the stage. Explore rituals from Nordic to African American. Discover how accessible the fine arts can be. Family outings, date night or “experience gifts” are all possibilities. Theater classics The Guthrie Theater…
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Bowl and a roll, Red Cup Rebellion, and more Why didn’t I know about a “bowl and a roll’’? Because I’m not a true Midwesterner. In case you’re also not a Midwesterner, defined as not going to little-kid school here, a bowl and a roll is…
BY ED FELIEN Thank you, Andrew Johnson—for being so polite and friendly and helpful. Thank you for always standing for the most progressive ideas, for standing for change when change wasn’t easy, and fighting for it when it was needed. Andrew Johnson has announced that he’s not going to seek…
BY ED FELIEN Shout hallelujah and just get happy We’re going to the promised land We’re heading across the river Soon our cares will all be gone Forget your troubles, come on get happy You better chase all those blues away Shout hallelujah, c’mon get happy Happy days are here…
BY STEPHANIE FOX For most people in Minnesota, getting to the polls to vote means driving (or biking) to an early voting center or to their local precinct on election day to fill out a ballot. Easy-peasy. Minnesota has same-day registration and does not require registered voters to show an…
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Eater’s ‘Home for the Holidays 2022’ My favorite online food information source, Eater.com, has a seasonal series of the above name and theme. So far, Bettina Makalintal has counseled us to let go of ironclad tradition and have a different kind of meal every Thanksgiving, Hillary…
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Looking for examples In last year’s “Gracefully,” I promised that I would pick up where I left off in illuminating the stories of people who typify the various ways to live gracefully at any age. I mentioned that I had to leave out three great Canadian…
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Your holiday events guide – random and quirky There are SO MANY events to share this year, the whole thing will be presented in list format. For online ticket sales, I’ll provide the name (search term) for the website only. If in-person or phone ONLY ticket…
BY ED FELIEN No, not him. The other guy, Charles Koch. Charlie Koch loves doing what he’s doing. He did it to Carter in 1979. Remember the gas shortage, worrying about heating oil supplies for the winter? Then, Reagan promised a Morning in America. It was a clear manipulation of…
BY CAM GORDON In October, a power struggle about how to respond to groups camping outdoors came to a head, not only outside City Hall between city officials and the community, but within City Hall and the City Council itself. Nearly four months have passed since the council voted to…
BY TOM ABELES When a major river meets a blockage, the river finds a suitable bypass. Similarly, when a major blood vessel in a human has a blockage, it can result in death, or the body finds an alternative path. In either case, the alternative is problematic. The route down…
BY ED FELIEN Our ancient mothers and fathers spent a lot of time looking at the sun and the moon. They marked when the sun would be highest in the sky and when it would be lowest. They noted the days halfway between the darkness and the light, and they…
BY TONY BOUZA The days of our lives are numbered. But, short of suicide, we don’t know what that number is. My best estimate would be 26,645 days (73 X 365). So, what to make of it? As I think on it a very few items stand out—triumphs and disasters.…
