What is your story of water and karst? As a person who has friends and family afflicted by cancer, I was captivated by the story of “Cancer Road” in the recent Sunday’s StarTribune. It makes me wonder if state and local elected officials will feel encouraged to delve into the growing bodies of research that highlight the cause-and-effect relationship of nitrate contaminated … [Read more...]

By Aaron Bishop Harmony, MN In response to Col. Gudmundson’s “Climate Crisis?” article: fillmorecountyjournal.com/climate-crisis. Mythconception #11: “CO2 increase is helping farmers produce more... And CO2 is not a pollutant.” -Gudmundson This common mythconception ignores the reality that bigger and faster growing crops doesn’t always equate to better quality food. … [Read more...]

The following are the words of retired Marine Corp General and former U.S. Secretary of Defense, James Mattis. In Union There is Strength I have watched this week’s unfolding events, angry and appalled. The words “Equal Justice Under Law” are carved in the pediment of the United States Supreme Court. This is precisely what protesters are rightly demanding. It is a wholesome … [Read more...]

One of my earliest articles for the Fillmore County Journal attempted to explain the importance of foresight, and the resources and techniques required to construct figurative towers of foresight in our society so as to give our civilization as a whole the ability to become aware of problems before they arise.  Known threats can become disasters at alarming speeds leaving … [Read more...]

What? A town hall? If you were driving along Highway 16 on the east side of Spring Valley between 10–11 on the morning of Saturday the 25th of January, you’d have passed right by the Honorable U.S. Representative Jim Hagedorn’s taxpayer funded tow hall meeting. You wouldn’t have seen a sign directing you nor welcoming you in. You wouldn’t have found any obvious signs at the … [Read more...]

Caucuses and primaries are approaching. What is the difference between the two and what does Minnesota have this year? Perhaps more importantly, why should you care? In 2016, legislation was passed which established a presidential nomination primary for Minnesota. This legislation did not do away with the caucuses, which will still be taking place on February 25. The … [Read more...]

Our society, whether consciously or not, focuses almost exclusively on recycling as the means to curb environmental pollution and decrease solid waste in landfills, but there are two other very important R words in addition to recycling. They are reduce and reuse.  Reduce (consumption): Reducing consumption of non-recyclable single-use products is a huge ask. Convenience … [Read more...]

After helping with the 10th annual Empty Bowls event in Harmony, I was curious to know more about food shortages. That research led me to some shocking, and quite frankly, depressing statistics about food waste. Luckily, there are a number of solutions. “Americans Waste About A Pound of Food A Day, USDA Study Finds” -Forbes, 2018 This study published last year by the open … [Read more...]

Volunteering your time, mind, and energy to accomplish the goals you believe in doesn’t merely satisfy a sense of civic duty; it is legitimately gratifying to work with others who share your passions.  Have you ever seen those “Adopt a Highway” signs? Do you know what they’re for? Those signs tell us who has offered their time and energy cleaning up road ditches along the … [Read more...]

For the sake of the young we must avoid war with Iran. Tensions are rising between two nations, both great in their bark and bite. No longer does the U.S. walk quietly and carry a big stick. Those drunk with power are loud and boastful and often confusing. The rest of us are left trying to keep up with the hourly remarks coming from all sides. The Pentagon is sending U.S. … [Read more...]

I am not an economist, but shouldn’t the deficit be going down if we have a “strong economy”?  In 2016, candidate Trump talked big about eliminating the debt (all $19 trillion at the time) “over a period of eight years.” After taking office, however, he doesn’t seem all that concerned, even going so far as shrugging off the projected “hockey stick” spike in debt that his own … [Read more...]

By Aaron Bishop Harmony, MN Mythconception #9: A Newsweek article in 1974 stated we would be “a frozen ice cube” by now.  I believe the goal of this mythconception from an online commenter in the online Fillmore County Journal is an attempt to convey an air of wild guessing or pure speculation when it comes to the science of climate change. Never mind the fact that … [Read more...]

I first learned about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in my high school psychology class. My teacher insisted that we internalize and understand the topic. He was, and is, a great teacher (he’s enjoying retirement now). He was a “Don’t judge others until you take a walk in their shoes” kind of teacher. What he taught me about Abraham Maslow has stuck with me to this … [Read more...]

When you truly know someone, you can generally tell when they are lying or not telling the entire truth. It’s more difficult when you don’t know someone, and harder still if you admire them and often agree with their point of view. It’s easy to let our guard down, because let’s be honest, trust isn’t a bad thing. That doesn’t mean too much trust can’t get us into trouble, … [Read more...]