By Donna Buckbee Rushford, MN Here is some common ground: Everyone who has ever read the Bible — Christians, Jews, Moslems, Buddhists, atheists, everyone — agrees that there is much in the Bible to revere.  Of course, each person engages in a process of selectivity to determine which passages they find worthy of reverence. Personally I find repugnant those passages that … [Read more...]

So, I’m granted a space here on a semi-regular basis to give commentary, because apparently someone thinks my words are worth reading... or at least that they needed some soft-headed Lefty to point and laugh at. I do my best to present my side of the story in a way that’s entertaining and tries not to wag a finger too much, even if I often feel like I’m watching the guy from … [Read more...]

One of the quirks of life in Washington, D.C., is that pretty much the only people who don’t refer to lobbyists by that name are, well, lobbyists. They’re “policy advisors,” or “strategic counsel,” or “public relations advisors,” or lawyers, or even just “consultants.” Whatever they’re called, though, they play a huge role in making policy. For the most part, they are able, … [Read more...]

I wasn’t the fastest runner in high school cross-country. On a really good day, I would place in the upper echelons of the pack, but generally, I was one of those kids who got a participation ribbon. I accepted the ribbon and quickly moved on to whatever drinks or goodies were standing at attention on the nearby table. Nowadays, I haven’t any idea where these ribbons are; … [Read more...]

As Republicans in Congress move forward on their tax plan, it’s worth remembering one thing: whatever the legislative particulars, keep your eye on the plan’s impact on the federal debt. Our debt load is already worrisome. It’s almost certainly going to get worse. There are a lot of different ways to characterize our fiscal situation at the federal level. We spend too much. … [Read more...]

The recent terror attack in Manhattan has once again reminded us that the fight against evil remains with us.  While globalization and the advancement in technology has been a blessing in many ways, it has also been a curse.  Fear and anxiety have become ever more prevalent in our lives. We are being challenged today with increasing intensity to find courage and the wisdom to … [Read more...]

According to polls, the vast majority of Americans recognize the need for: aggressive action on anthropogenic climate change, everyone to be treated equal under the law, minimum wage of $15 per hour, medicare for all, spending on infrastructure renewal, public education that keeps up with other progressive countries, immigrants to have a path to citizenship, and wealthy donors … [Read more...]

That has become the age old question. As a board member of the Preston Area Chamber of Commerce, I recently had someone ask me what the Chamber was doing about stimulating the downtown business community. Before I tell you how I responded, I’ll give you a little background. Over the past 40 years, many downtown communities have lost something they will never regain.  … [Read more...]

By Aaron Swartzentruber Greenleafton, MN I would like to put a good word in for our police officers. Too often our whole police force is portrayed as brutal, oppressive, and murderous because of either a few rogue officers, a few bad actions by good officers, or a few perceived bad actions by good officers. If you consider all the good that locally controlled police forces … [Read more...]

I’m sure you’ve witnessed millennials walking around in leggings, hipsters burning incense, and ads targeting women to “zen out.” What do these things have in common? Likely, you’ve associated these things with the practice of yoga. But chances are you don’t have a full understanding, or perhaps even have a misunderstanding, of yoga and the ideals behind this sacred practice. … [Read more...]

For over 100 years, University of Minnesota Extension has brought educational programing to greater Minnesota. The success of Extension’s educational programing – both in the past and present – is heavily dependent upon understanding the needs of the people of Minnesota. To understand what Minnesotans need, the University must maintain continuous and open dialog with Minnesota … [Read more...]