Morris featured in Wall Street Journal!

Our community in the Wall Street Journal

Here's a shot to our local consciousness. For those of you who stick around Morris some in summer, i.e. who aren't "at the lake" all the time, you should know: our community has distinction at present. We are in the Wall Street Journal! Yes, the east coast elite media has noticed us out here. A real feather in our cap. 

I didn't see this coming. So let's feel good. We used to depend on Prairie Pioneer Days to enliven us in midsummer. This year we have the shot of attention from the east coast prestige media. Even if you're at the lake a lot, you might feel pride, eh? 

The article is dated July 3. So, quite fresh. And here's the headline: "Conservative farm town went green without really trying." They have us in line with the image or stereotype of being "conservative" out here in the plains. We can hear coyotes at night, mainly from the east and north of Morris. Sounds just like in the old western movies. 

And yes we are "conservative." In the past this meant a philosophy that had respectability. Like in supporting Ronald Reagan. Today we have a congressperson in Michelle Fischbach who voted against certifying the 2020 election results. There are reports that Donald Trump is requiring his VP pick to sign a pledge about the 2020 election being stolen. What all fallout is going to come of this? 

Would Fischbach be good with such a pledge? Such an affirmation? Can't you see that Trump would never accept losing? And if his support grows strong enough, as has happened out here in coyote land, could our whole democratic system be destroyed? 

Do I personally have to worry about being intimidated or threatened by MAGA types when I show up to vote at our armory in Morris? Up until now the experience has been nothing like that: the people in charge are simply good civic-minded people. Will MAGA start to infiltrate locally? Will they look at me and presume I'll vote for some Democrats? What would be the repercussions? 

And now Fischbach may not even be good enough for the western Minnesota Republicans. We have this Steve Boyd hovering out here. Seems like our very own J.D. Vance. 

I'll be selfish and express the following concern: if Republicans succeed in totally dismantling the "administrative state" - if they wipe out vestiges of the New Deal - how are all the retirees going to get by? I mean, possibly stripped of our Social Security? Trump still talks about "repealing Obamacare." How will he and his minions attempt this? 

No matter what he attempts, he'll have an army of lawyers wearing suits and ties to try every trick in the book. Up 'til now it appears the Dems are more or loss emasculated. 

And is it getting worse? It may keep getting worse until there is a colossal collective shock felt in the populace, at which point. . . Well, I am not suggesting or recommending this but I'm just looking at world history. People ultimately need to take care of themselves. We go around town to purchase for our daily needs and are informed so routinely "the price went up." 

At what point do we start to turn with this to say "there has to be a fix." Higher interest rates? But holy cow, there is a very powerful class in America led by the billionaires who fight hammer and tongs against that. They can "clean up" for themselves with zero percent interest and more "quantitative easing." They always want quantitative easing. And they have the power and wealth to simply flee the country if they have to, if they feel the need to escape a visceral revolution from the political left. 

You think Jan. 6 was a visceral revolt? It was small potatoes compared to what could happen if a true left wing revolt found its legs nationwide. Yes it would be borne of desperation as all such revolts are. The communists tracked down Mussolini, executed him and had his body hung up on meat hooks for abuse. I am merely citing world history, warning about what could happen. 

Doug Burgum (forbes)

The Doug Burgums of the world would just get the heck out of here in advance. Mike Huckabee has talked about moving to Israel. I don't think he's done that yet. 

So to repeat: the Wall Street Journal characterizes us currently as "conservative." The subhead for the article reads "Tiny Morris Minn. adopted wind turbines, solar panels and composting to save money, not the planet - and now it has become a model for other rural towns." 

A friend gave me the email heads-up about the WSJ piece. He shared a photo of the print edition that allowed me to at least quote the headline. Then I typed the headline into search. I could only read the first paragraph "for free." Otherwise there's a paywall. I at least got the gist of the article. 

Will Steve Boyd win Stevens County? He of the "life begins at conception" line? Look, abortion is a disturbing topic, there is no doubt. But women need to be left alone on this. We were better off with wide "women's reproductive health rights." If Dems win we might be able to get Roe vs. Wade codified into law. Or, to get the Supreme Court expanded with new mainstream justices. 

I'm not betting on anything. There are a lot of older men who simply will not budge from supporting Trump. A psychologist might be able to explain. By the time we all learn, it will probably be too late. I am very skeptical. 

Listen to the older guys who gather in the middle section of DeToy's Restaurant in early morning. Fischbach may not be good enough for them. All things being equal, they might prefer a man.

 

Addendum: Has the Morris newspaper reported on the Wall Street Journal piece? Has the Morris paper reported on Scott Turnbull becoming new school athletic/activities director? Or, on Justin Daly being named girls basketball coach? I can't state for a fact that the paper hasn't done these things. I do not take notes week to week. 

I check out the Morris paper at our library. It is minimal size on this particular week. Of course midsummer is always ungodly "slow" in Motown. Prairie Pioneer Days was a way of adjusting for that, as Kevin Wohlers pointed out strongly. But he and I lost on that. Too many heavy-hitters in Morris who just need to "get away to the lake" as much as possible. 

The new Morris athletic director was previously the UMM soccer coach. I know the paper has run an article on his replacement as soccer coach. I don't think too many readers of the Morris paper care all that much about that. I think they care much more about who the athletic director is. 

Our previous AD left here for Minnewaska in order to get paid substantially more, according to reports out and around. So it's ironic that our MACA softball team defeated Minnewaska 15-0 in the tournament this past spring. Wouldn't you say? 

The paper's owners lecture on how we absolutely need the paper to stay informed. Well, I hope they are staying on top of things.

Illustrations from the WSJ piece

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

How to judge a "nuisance property?"

Nuisance properties! I'm certain the term causes a headache with city administrators. And the matter can even rise above that level to where elected officials get drawn in. As has happened here in our Motown recently. 

I remember the issue coming up in the past. I remember reading of a little "tour" given by a city administrator out and around, sampling some sights. He gave the tour to the newspaper manager, as I recall. In the Forum Communications days. 

Well frankly it is not hard to notice properties where issues of tidiness and aesthetics are presented. Most of us keep these thoughts to ourselves. We no doubt reason that life is challenging for lots of people and we cannot all be expected to live in a super upscale place like we see out by the river. We make these observations while we ourselves realize we are not being perfect. 

A few years back I realized I had let the rear of my property get overgrown. While my father was alive I figured he'd take care of this stuff. I'm afraid he did start becoming a little negligent. A wooden snowfence that he was once proud to have installed got obliterated by storms. We who live on the northern edge of the city, semi-rural, can really be hit hard by winds. Because of that, I began to see my overgrown back yard as maybe an asset: a windbreak. That it was. 

But enough is enough. It was not passing the aesthetics test. The Northridge Drive residences are rather upscale so we have a sense of the appropriate basic standards. There are always issues. And with the cost of having any kind of contractor show up, one might be tempted to hesitate more than normal. 

I have a theory on why the "nuisance property" issue comes at us every 5-6 years (an estimate). My theory is that people begin to notice one very obvious nuisance property somewhere. So the appropriate officials are notified with complaints. And in our current case the city manager apparently did not respond, so guess what? The mayor's phone rings, which I suspect would make him growl some. 

I'm sure the elected people don't want to get into touchy or emotional issues any more than they have to. They like to get re-elected. But I have told people I will not vote for anyone who was on the council when the water softener law was passed. I have told the major that directly. He probably would just get out his little violin. I digress some. 

I suspect that people involved in municipal management all over our great country consider nuisance properties to be thorny, perhaps a no-win situation. Why? I think it's pretty obvious: If you consider it essential to intervene with a nuisance property, well then you have to be consistent, applying the same rules and standards to everyone, so you don't look like you're just picking on one person. You cannot carry out a personal grudge this way. The law probably has avenues for recourse. 

So then what? Well you have to draw up a pretty specific profile of just what a nuisance property is. I read in the paper that having a pile of wood pallets is a no-no. Well I don't know: if my neighbor had some of these and his property was otherwise tidy, not sure I'd feel bothered. But there has to be a set of pretty specific rules and standards. 

And I'd like to suggest at this point that maybe that's nigh impossible. To elaborate, let me cite the famous judge's quote about pornography: "I can't define it but I know it when I see it."

 

Addendum: Just speculating but I think the current really problematic property is along Pacific Avenue. If this isn't it, then I wouldn't want to see No. 1.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

U's challenges steeper than normal?

Rebecca Cunningham is new president of the University of Minnesota.

 

I learned many years ago that the University of Minnesota only speaks to "news reporters" on a grudging basis. And you can't really blame the U, based on its self-interest. The U senses that the "press" goes after stories like it's chum on the water for sharks. There's a bias toward articles that are exposes on the U. 

So, should a finger be pointed at the media or the press or whatever other term you want to use today? It's so diffuse now. Even I can have somewhat of a reach with my online writing. The web is a meritocracy. 

My late mother worked at UMM and she told me of a policy where if a "reporter" contacts you, you do not have to drop everything to talk to that person. Don't, instead refer that individual to the next-level employee up. And I learned this could become almost comical because everyone would just start "punting" to someone else. 

I don't blame the U for its survival behavior. I do not blame the media. The media is covering a publicly-supported institution in the U. The U is a vast, sprawling, important institution that gets and uses significant tax dollars. We periodically read of its "wish lists before the legislature." And in UMM's case, that includes getting an elevator for the multi-ethnic building. I am reminded of Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune trying to discourage the idea of "moving the Shubert Theater." 

"It's just four walls," he said. Well it had historic value like several of UMM's structures supposedly have. 

I will repeat here that nostalgia connected to the old West Central School of Agriculture is fading. At least that is my sense or perception. 

We won't have any more UMM Founders Days. I don't see how we could because UMM's founders have gone on to the next life, nearly all it's safe to say. The Founders Day events were moving. I was present for a couple. Maybe nostalgia really is what it used to be. But it gets trumped by the incessant marching of time. 

The old stalwarts of the WCSA - the leaders and teachers - have finished their mortal commitments, nearly all it's safe to say. I should not report in absolutes. And the day will come when there are no more WCSA reunions. I played in a dance orchestra for at least one of those. Time marches on and fewer people will be misty when being reminded of WCSA memories. 

Multi-ethnic building, UMM

The multi-ethnic building was the original home of UMM music. Edson Auditoriuim was the concert site and also the theater department hub. I read an observation a couple years ago, probably at the time of Edson's renovation, that kids could spend a couple years at UMM and not even notice that Edson Auditorium is there. Do I have to mention that the name alteration puzzles me: Well, Edson is now part of a larger entity - though I can't really define it or know its boundaries - named for a benefactor family. My own family is a benefactor. 

Even as UMM declines - precipitously? - I must feel satisfaction because of what the U of M has meant to my own family. As part of setting up the fund, I was informed of "contingencies." Like for example, UMM just plain closing. Sounded a little extreme at the time, is much less extreme-sounding now. My father got his undergraduate and Master's degrees from the Twin Cities U. I'd be happy to give them a boost if it comes to that. 

My big question now about UMM music is: How can it have so many faculty when the ensembles are deteriorating? I ask you to judge the ensembles based on the current UMM students taking part, not the "guests" or "alums" that you will see performing. Example: Marty Sarlette who we all love of course. 

Take a look at the huge HFA building which I think could be fairly described as ugly. Maybe a monstrosity? Marty's brother calls it an "albatross" on campus. I'm sure it was avant garde architecture at its inception, when that sort of thing was faddish. 

I studied mass communications at a time when it was full of faddish and foolish ideas. 

What is the new U of M president going to think when she comes out here? I don't believe she has made a visit yet. Maybe she should know that we can hear coyotes at night.

Good luck, you'll need it?

I think Ms. Cunningham is getting some pretty stern marching orders from the legislature. Or let's say the board of regents is getting such orders. I have realized too late in life that the regents are overrated. Maybe there was a time when they could pull the wool over people's eyes. Doing this with happy talk and pretentious educational cliches. Sure worked in an earlier time. 

A time of reckoning may have set in, underscored in a truly embarrassing way by the academic research scandal at the U. Hoo boy! The U has stepped in it. Shock waves extending way out, like nationally. Research was supposed to be a real crux for the U selling itself, if all else were to fail. Maybe all else has started failing. You know what? Whereas in the past the academic people wanted to tamp down sports, I think sports today might be the No. 1 selling point for these institutions. So go for it, Gophers! 

But let's try to see the women' basketball team in the real NCAAs next year and not the NIT. Sports is the "front porch" of our colleges. Try not to be too bothered by the erosion in the background. 

 

Edification

I discussed the U's research scandal with a learned person Wednesday morning, via an exchange through Yahoo! News comments. I began it by commenting on an article about an exotic new eating disorder among kids, identified with a series of initials. Skeptical, I wondered if this is another case of academic researchers trying to come up with something new as a way of getting attention and more importantly $ for their research. So here's the comment I submitted. Please read on for the very interesting response I got.

 

Where is the list of "disorders" going to end? There are scientists who are always trying to get funding for their research. Look at the ethically compromised researchers at the University of Minnesota. Having now to retract significant work.

 

From "Starlight":

Ethically compromised or ethically bankrupt researchers can work for any institution anywhere, Brian. U Minn. is not unique. I've seen it happen repeatedly elsewhere too - I was raised near another large Midwestern university, and ethics scandals over research and research funding are nothing new to me. These scandals are SYMPTOMS of a larger problem as as much as they are problems in themselves. 

The reason the academic scientists are always trying so hard to get funding is because their ability to stay employed DEPENDS UPON what they BRING IN in terms of grants, NOT what they teach or how well their students succeed. If they want to keep their tenured positions, they must prioritize research and research grant funding over their teaching skills. That is an unwritten law in academia, Brian. Trust me, I know all about this because I was RAISED by academic scientists, and I have a sibling who is one now. 

Everyone who knows anything at all about how the college and university system works in this country also knows that promotions and tenure within that system are always based on what one PRODUCES in terms of grant money and research, and NOT on teaching skills.

The little things

Again, I am disappointed that UMM cannot come up with a band for graduation. Years ago I never could have dreamt of this. 

Last winter I was informed that only one side of bleachers was being pulled out for UMM basketball games. I never could have dreamt of that either. 

Now, it is entirely possible that UMM has such a sharp administration now, they can keep resources coming here, at least for UMM's survival. Do you ever hear the expression "cramming for finals" any more? I don't. Courses must be much easier to attract students, everywhere.

  

The big things

At what cost do we indulge academic researchers who can't be on the level? The cost can be grave. Here's a submission from someone on "Reddit": "U of M was also where Ancel Keyes came up with the saturated fats lead to heart disease hypothesis which led to sugar being in everything. . .more heart disease."

And I am a diabetic.

 

Addendum: UMM's founders from way back when were in a panic over the possibility of our campus being made into a "community college." I think they were called "junior colleges" back then. I have always wondered why that would be so terrible. How can any reputable post-high school institution be termed "terrible." 

Maybe this is why I developed a complex through the years, of being encouraged to think that UMM students and graduates were some sort of superior human beings to everyone else. Yes, that is what was insinuated, or even stated directly at times. I think Jack Imholte encouraged it. 

Our sports fans became very rude and raucous toward visiting athletes and fans. 

To UMM's credit, I think this has been eliminated. I just sense it based on the overall direction of the place. I think the football players of today fit right in with the overall student body. I remember quite different times. And I think my assessment of things was shared by many others, but we were loathe to criticize UMM for any reason based on its obvious importance to the town's and area's economy. 

The old UMM faculty who put on airs of superiority vs. the common folk have faded away. The instructors today are more real and relatable people. Actually, subject to the same insecurities and humility as the rest of us! So that much is good! But what would be so terrible about having a nice little community college on our campus. We are getting "little" anyway.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Can you believe Liz Cheney in crosshairs?

Liz Cheney

Wasn't Liz Cheney all-in with the Iraq war thing, when the pro-war stance was conservative? When Toby Keith reinforced his conservative creds in country music by being pro-war? You might way "pro-invasion." Wasn't much of a defense from Iraq. But our intelligence officials said we must be gravely concerned about the Iraq leader's "weapons of mass destruction." 

I had to set my alarm to make sure I got to a newspaper obligation here in Morris. This was the send-off for our National Guard unit. Our what? Don't we have a dedicated professional military to fight wars? I remember the morning the buses headed out of town. I remember being deprived of decent photo opportunities until the end. I caught a bus going by as someone in the foreground held up a small American flag. Go get those Iraqis!

It did not end up being a pleasant venture. And it turned out there were no "weapons of mass destruction." George W. Bush, joined at the hip with the Cheneys, stretched to try to find justification. Eventually we got a report of some leftover conventional weapons from the Iran-Iraq war. So, one of the Republican big names of the time - Rick Santorum - thumped his chest and made the pronouncement "we've found them." No. These were conventional weapons. 

We had no business being over there. Iran and Iraq had a ceremonial exchanging of ashes at the end of their own war. Which shows: there was an underlying affinity between these countries. "About?" you might ask. Well, I'd have to point out that here in America, many of us hold back from condemning the old Confederacy of the Civil War. People who tend to be politically liberal would say the secession attempt was treasonous. 

Meanwhile, conservatives have held back and have been the leaders in saying that we should hold on to things like statues of Confederates and public institutions named for Confederate leaders. 

If the U.S. or the "Union" had to fight a bloody war with those folks, how on earth can we justify clinging to such stuff, like at least a part of us is proud of it? An example of one such person: Donald Trump. 

And at this point in my post today, certain of my acquaintances will immediately withdraw with a scoff and a dismissive smile. They'd say "there you go again talking about Trump." They'll trot out the boilerplate putdowns like "you have Trump derangement syndrome." Well, I do get kind of deranged about him, not in the context of any mental illness on my part, but because of anger and fear. And this has gone on so long. 

Liz Cheney is pertinent in the news right now because Trump, who could be described as our likely next president based on the polls, has called for Liz Cheney to be "prosecuted by a type of military court reserved for enemy combatants and war criminals." That's according to the New York Times. Her alleged offense would be "treason." Well, she certainly helped lead an effort to find out what all went on with January 6. 

How would this "military tribunal" mete out punishment? Such questions take on much greater weight given how the Supreme Court is emboldening Trump and MAGA. Imagine how the late Andy Papke would react to this. Civics teacher at our Morris Area High. Always believed in the basic goodness of America. I remember him having a picture of Gerald Ford on his bulletin board. Imagine comparing Ford with Trump. And Trump wants to see "televised" military tribunals. 

Trump has realized the sheer power of TV all along, even well before he "went down the escalator." He is right on that, on the sheer power of TV, even though our media world has become so much more diffuse. I don't have TV. I can watch all the popular cable TV news shows on a timely basis on YouTube. 

Trump a while back floated the idea of having General Mark Milley sentenced to death. I wonder if some of these people have had family meetings to prepare for the day when they're dead and gone. Find ways to help other family members simply survive in the aftermath. 

Michelle Fischbach

Our 7th District Congressperson Michelle Fischbach voted against certifying the election results in 2020. This was a more extreme position than that of Tom Emmer. She smiles so sweetly in photos of her. Would she welcome seeing Liz Cheney, Mark Milley, Mike Pence and many others "offed" by some means like the guillotine? On live TV? 

Fischbach would dismiss that idea if confronted. But what did she think was going to happen if election certification had in fact been "delayed" in 2021? I won't call Ms. Fischbach stupid. No point in going ad hominem. So I am certain that she is aware of a prime tactic of Trump's. That is delay. If the 2021 inauguration had been delayed, then I think we can assume Trump would continue as president indefinitely. Which would have been the whole road map. 

Don't act incredulous with me, Ms. Fischbach, you know all of that was a means to establish autocracy in America. Now you really wouldn't deny that, would you? Don't insult our intelligence - I won't insult yours. So I assume you know what's going on. And even if you have built up reservations - a safe assumption - would you speak out in any way, shape or form - even in a restrained and gentle voice - against anything that DJT wants? Why would you not? Well, fear. 

Think of what the Cheney family is going through now with the fresh report on DJT's intentions. And now we're greatly discouraged in voting for Biden for the reason that is all over the place. So it'll be Trump. So Cheney, Pence, Adam Kinzinger and so many others had better have meetings with estate lawyers. If that'll even help. Trump will have so much power, he might wipe out all these families. He would probably have the assistance of our greatly corrupted U.S. Supreme Court in establishing a "secret police."

Coming on strong again

In a country that is going back to respecting the old Confederate symbols, would this really be surprising? 

Trumpism in the end may have to be put down by a worldwide coalition of nations. Let's call them the "Allies." They might have no choice, if climate change greatly worsens and people of the world begin blaming Trump's intransigence on the issue. He has said climate change is a "hoax." The secret police will probably come after people like me.

 

Addendum: Remember how Toby Keith was so absolutely pro-war, he tried to ruin a fellow country music act, the "Dixie Chicks?" 

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

All politics is local, Kristi Noem

Governor Noem of SD

There is something sad about a woman in her 50s who thinks she can still look like she's in her 30s. This observation was a response to a comment I posted to a Yahoo! News article about Kristi Noem. Noem is popularly understood to be such an "attractive" female governor. She is part of the near-monopoly political party in our neighbor to the west: South Dakota. 

Politically it appears we in western Minnesota have become an extension of South Dakota or the Dakotas in general. The top Republicans get carried away with national politics. CW suggests this should hurt them. "All politics is local," right? 

And when it comes to natural disasters like flooding, wouldn't you think a laser focus is called for? Doesn't U.S. history have a number of political heavy-hitters who got taken down because they failed the basic test of political leadership? It's not about your political party's "talking points" at any time. 

A natural disaster is the real test, away from tax cuts and abortion etc. And certainly away from presidential politics which might be your ticket for appearing on "Face the Nation." 

Doug Burgum of North Dakota prioritizes his crusade for Donald Trump. If North Dakota voters wish to keep supporting this sense of priorities on Burgum's part, they are welcome to it. But I'm suggesting that real catastrophic natural disasters spring up. They wash away, so to speak, what seems to be the routine of political conversation. 

It's tough to cancel an appearance on a nationally known TV discussion program. Especially those on Sunday morning. You learn to spell the last name of George Stephanopoulos. It's the lure of power and attention. It must be intoxicating because a big name can be taken down at the polls by surprise. That's when the pols face their most fundamental test. 

At the city level this happens with big snowstorms and traffic problems. 

 

A poser

Is it fair to speak of South Dakota Governor Noem as "attractive?" People seem to observe this without a second thought. Seems that Noem gets up in the morning with full understanding of how she is seen. But isn't this kind of a throwback in our culture? 

"Good-looking women," well based on what? And, as opposed to what? "Plain-looking women?" Or, "homely women?" Egad. 

Being thin was once such a high priority. Certainly was when I was growing up. A "fat" person would cause those nearby to sort of poke each other and whisper "look at that person." Like an oddity. Today we think nothing of seeing extremely heavy people everywhere. No comment. 

And of course we should not judge in a mean way. But this phenemenon actually does not bode well for public health. We want a drug for the problem. Bring on Ozempic. I wouldn't touch the stuff. Heard of "Ozempic face?" You see, people don't necessarily look "better." 

Noem is very thin and this conforms to the old values for how we judged attractiveness. She maybe looks a little anemic? I have observed as much. Does she think that maybe her long flowing hair makes her look sexy? And is it misogynistic to even be hashing over such thoughts? 

Let's consider that "misogyny" is a relatively new word for most of us. Just in the last few years has it circulated in a common way. As a kid or young adult I never would have heard it. And back then, Bob Hope would parade Raquel Welch out on stage for "entertaining the troops" in Vietnam. The actress Welch knew full well why her services were sought. 

I remember a sociology prof from my college days who talked about "secondary sexual characteristics." Welch fit the profile for having all of these. The nation tuned in to those annual Christmas specials on the tube. I doubt there were many family discussions about the offensiveness of putting forward Welch as a symbol of the "bombshell babe." Our culture then just understood it. With a shrug you might say. And how were all the supposed "plain-looking women" supposed to feel in reaction? They knew who they were, just like the likes of Welch knew how her appearance "turned on" men.

Naturally, the biggest offense about the Bob Hope Christmases from Vietnam was the Vietnam war itself. If you are shocked at the absurdity of what MAGA represents today, be assured it's on par with similar odd and illogical phenomena of our nation's past. You would have to identify the Vietnam war as "exhibit A." Hey, I grew up with it. 

 

Don't look back, Kristi

Kristi Noem has this image of being so popular in South Dakota. The bigger they come, the harder they fall. For the time being she can feel affinity with the likes of George Stephanopoulos. And be taken seriously as VP candidate, this in spite of the damaging episode with her deceased dog. Deceased because of her. 

Cruel and unacceptable? Those might be strong suits in connection with the leader of MAGA who has been found responsible in official court proceedings for sexual assault. That bad enough for you? We have learned that nothing is bad enough to discourage fervor in MAGA ranks, pilgrims. So why not Noem the dog-killer for vice president? Fits right in. 

Pay no attention to what Trump might have said publicly about this. His word typically means nothing. Being offensive and disgusting scores points. But here's my question: what about at the hyper-local level? I mean in the context of "all politics is local." Severe weather has brought a deluge to southeast South Dakota. With the rain pouring down, the "attractive governor" who really is in her 50s abdicated, in effect, as she chose to attend a political conference and do a TV interview. 

Catastrophic floodwaters closing in? Toward McCook Lake? She had a higher priority to attend to: a political fundraiser. Ahem, an out-of-state political fundraiser. 

The locals failed to get adequate warning about the dangers at hand. Well it's just government, right? And Republicans are known for not really liking to govern. They don't like passing legislation to solve problems. They act irritated by it as they continually talk about cutting taxes which in their mind is equated with income taxes. 

Local property taxes? One of our state representatives from here in western Minnesota, Jeff Backer, said to Marshall Hoffman "that would be the county." Yeah, bother them with your complaints, not me. Yeah, like our local county commissioners are super liberal big careless spenders. Well they are not, they are quite the opposite. 

If the county spends "X" amount it is because they have to. Backer wants to wash his hands of it. "Don't bother me," in effect. 

But real people at the local level are left with our difficulties. Natural disasters come along. It can happen anywhere. And that is the real test of political leadership. Not being an "attractive women" who seeks appearances on the "Sunday morning shows."

  

Addendum: I could probably use a stiff drink, just after publishing something where I had to spell "Stephanopoulos" and "misogynistic." 

 

Perpich vs. Janklow

Here's a comment I posted to a Yahoo! News article on Noem and South Dakota:

 

Rudy Perpich when he was governor of Minnesota got a splash of attention when he said South Dakota was "50th in everything." The official rejoinder was given by Bill Janklow. Remember him? For some reason I'm thinking of Jason Ravnsborg too. Where did he end up? You can only use your military creds as cover for so long.

 

"Edward" responded:

I know people from Flandreau and I met Janklow a few times when he was governor. He asked for me to speak at a business conference he organized in Sioux Falls in 1997 or so. He was smart as a whip, arrogant, and sometimes cruel. Very complex person. In high school he was part of a group of guys who gang-assaulted a girl from the Flandreau Indian School. Everyone knew but his adoptive parents were bigwigs in a little town and in that era Flandreau was near apartheid. He always drove recklessly and should have been charged with criminal vehicular homicide when he blew through that stop sign. The guy he hit was a Scott from Hardwick MN, just east. We did business with his grandfather. 

 

The image below from the "Babylon Bee" has been passed around quite a bit, shows SD Governor Noem with the assignment of taking Joe Biden "behind the shed." Dispatched like a Noem canine. In Biden's case, based on advanced age and cognitive challenges. Biden struggled in first debate, everyone says.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Time to attack thicker vegetation

Normally I don't write at night but here I am. I'm refreshed from taking a nap, recovering from some lawn mowing. No routine lawn mowing, this was. This was an "attack" on the overgrown section in back, on north end, where lots of tough weeds always come up. Lots of hard stuff in comparison to grass. So I'm concerned of course about wear and tear on my equipment, specifically my walk-behind mower that I purchased a long time ago at Eul's. 

Eul's! We'll remember that business name for a long time. We have never forgotten Willie Martin with the groceries. I went to high school with Mike Eul. The one child of Rit and Ione who did not stick around to be in the family business. We have lost Mike to the next life. He was Class of '73 like Willie and Rachel Martin's oldest child Edith. 

Edith had a parallel with Mike: unlike her siblings she did not stick around with the family business. Married a minister. I would have to assume that was Wisconsin  Synod. Can I identify that as a "fringe" synod? What about our Zion Lutheran with the Missouri Synod? Fringy? I'm not the one to characterize, but I do know that the Wisconsin Synod considers the Pope to be the antichrist. Oh yes they do. 

Didn't ultra-conservative politician Michele Bachmann leave her Wisconsin Synod church? For that reason in fact? Tough when you have to alienate all the Catholics. How should you explain yourself? 

Normally I prefer mowing my nice ordinary green grass with my walk-behind. I even try to avoid any small branches in my path: concern about being hard on the mower. What I did today requires adjustment in one's thinking. It was time to be in "attack mode" with my yard. I'm sure my neighbors heard some pretty intense sounds! Mower would "kill" at times, as it'd get momentarily overwhelmed. 

After my initial shock at having to do something so intense, I adjusted and had no problem with it. I knew there was risk to the mower, either breaking it somehow or dulling the blade. I got through it well with no evidence of damage. Praise be to God I guess. And it is tremendously satisfying. Actually had not done this in a long time. 

It was just a few years ago that I prioritized cleaning up the rear of my property. My father established a shelter belt of trees there. The trees grew bigger and the weeds multiplied. My neighbor to the west described the rear of the Williams property as a "jungle." He wasn't upset or at least he wasn't showing it. I told him in an email that if I had just continued to do nothing about it, I would have "one heckuva windbreak." 

And that was very true. But the time came for some tidying. This involves having the friendly tree guy, Craig Beyer, come by sometimes. If my father only knew the landscaping bills he was bequeathing me! Well I can shoulder it. And now this evening, right during the presidential debate which I have chosen not to watch, I can feel satisfaction about my back yard. 

Why this project at this time? Well we have all become aware of a wet spring with its consequences. It may be climate change. At least our local dam is not at risk of breaking unlike elsewhere in the state. But we do have a proliferation of wildlife, that's for sure. Some enjoyable to have around, others no. 

I gave Sharon Martin, Edith's sister, the heads-up about how skunks are seen along the biking/walking trail east of town. I had never seen them there before. The juvenile skunks can be kind of cute if you can disregard the main issue with this animal. Actually I think that if you don't provoke them, you're in the clear. It's still not a welcome sight. 

A few days after I talked with Sharon, she confirmed to me that she did see them! Be aware, everyone. 

And so I have noticed the proliferation of critters out where I live. A different neighbor of mine to the west told me that he recently dispatched six skunks. He live-traps them and then takes them out back and shoots them. That's the kind of animal I'm focusing on here: skunks. An animal to really get your attention. Stay tuned. 

A friend tells me that such critters are "in town." Be advised. So I mowed to try to minimize what's available for them to eat. 

It's getting dark now, Thursday night, and conditions are cool, windy and wet again. And we're getting close to July 4? 

I try to ignore the presidential debate but I'm quite interested in how the Indiana Fever are doing tonight. They're playing at Seattle. Right now it doesn't look good.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Giants with Mays almost came to MN

The image shows Willie Mays in 1951 as member of the Minneapolis Millers who played at Nicollet Park. The Millers had Ted Williams on board for a time too.

 

Horace Stoneham. The name register with you? Maybe not. We're plumbing baseball history here. Going way back, as it were. We're going back to when Minnesota was seeking big league status in the sport. Imagine the Twin Cities being shy of big league status. Well, there was a time. 

That time included the first five years of my life. As a preschooler I could not have paid much attention. I gathered years later that U of M Gopher football was the really big-time sport in Minnesota. But that was just one team. And it was not the big league pros. 

The history of getting big league ball for our far north location is pretty involved. We had a ballpark located in the Twin Cities suburbs to dangle for the big league interests. You would think that would be enough, right there. You would think the pro sports owners would be salivating to come to Minnesota. 

Up through the early and mid '50s, "a trip west" in big league baseball meant St. Louis or Chicago. Amazing! Perhaps it took a while for plane transportation to develop and be reliable. Nothing promotes nostalgia more about big league ball than to conjure up images of the ballplayers on trains! They probably developed more cohesion as a unit with the arrangement, the forced togetherness. 

The Robert Redford movie "The Natural" did a good job of impressing the memories. A strange thing about that movie, incidentally - very strange I'd observe - is that it romanticized baseball before integration. Why not an issue? I would suggest it was because of Redford's reputation as a progressive. He got slack. 

I wouldn't slam the movie: the players themselves were always just pawns. I remember the biopic about Jackie Robinson a few years back. Chadwick Boseman starred. A scene that pops back for me was where the Leo Durocher character - the Brooklyn manager - advises his team about how black players were on the way: "They're good and they want to play," he told his Dodgers. 

Major league baseball of today would want such ambition to return, I suggest, because blacks have withdrawn from baseball and gravitated to football and basketball. They certainly flourish in the latter two sports - a tip of the hat. 

Well, the advancing black players in the '50s included Willie Mays. Willie Mays! In the news recently for having passed on. RIP Willie, you had unmatched talent, impressive career longevity and were controversy-free. You plied your talents for us all to enjoy, congratulations. Born to play baseball. 

But would he be a baseball player today? Good question. Surely he could excel in the other two sports I cited. Many of the top MLB stars in my childhood were African-American or black. Tony Oliva was a Cuban black. Vic Power was from Puerto Rico where he grew up in a culture with no racism. Fascinating. 

Anyway, Horace Stoneham was owner of the Giants. His name appears in Minnesota baseball history annals. The name appears in the "what might have been" category. Most significantly, Mr. Stoneham came close to bringing his New York Giants to our Minnesota. It was a real flirtation. 

He noticed the success of the Braves after their 1953 shift from Boston to Milwaukee. So as a result, to use the wording of the Wikipedia profile of Stoneham, "Stoneham decided to move his Giants to the Twin Cities of Minnesota." Intriguing to read all this now. 

Willie Mays could have come to our state to enjoy the prime of his career. The team had many strengths as it would win the National League pennant in 1962. Committed as Stoneham seemed to be, we know of course that he and Mays did not come here. Stoneham broke bread with Walter O'Malley, owner of the Dodgers. O'Malley related that he was negotiating to transfer his Dodgers from Brooklyn to L.A. 

"California here we come." The culmination of inevitability. 

In previous times California had the Pacific Coast League which had a talent level nearly as good as the majors. The actor Chuck Connors played there. 

O'Malley was set on continuing the rivalry with the Giants, as both the Dodgers and Giants had been storied denizens of The Big Apple. How could New York City lose two major league teams? The power and prestige of that market? Left with just the A.L.'s New York Yankees for a few years? And when the National League came back in 1962, it was as if MLB was punishing NYC - the Mets were hugely non-competitive. 

O'Malley suggested that Stoneham contact the San Francisco mayor. "Stoneham soon abandoned his Minnesota plan and shifted his attention, permanently, to San Francisco," Wikipedia tells us. 

But just think how close Minnesota was, to getting a completely different team with a different set of star players, from the Senators-turned-Twins. Yes we got the Senators with the crusty, cheap, curmudgeonly owner Calvin Griffith. We tried making his image charming. Never really worked. 

Of course Minnesota was gaga for a time, may I say, with orgasmic pleasure over the Twins being created. How could we be denied big league ball before 1961? Strange. But it finally started in '61. And in '62 we chased the Yankees and finished second in the A.L. when only one team from each league played post-season. That is hugely strange too. I'm sure economics explains. 

I was six years old when the Twins and Vikings started. The new big league world was just in time to treat my generation of the boomers. 

Baseball reached a climax in 1965 of course. But we lost that cotton pickin' Game 7 of the World Series to those Dodgers of L.A. After that the orgasmic quality of the support faded, to be revived well down the road in 1987 with a completely new generation of players. We had forgotten the mere thrill of having big league baseball. We had forgotten the novelty of the once shiny new Met Stadium. We had begun taking things for granted, got spoiled maybe, and leave it to my boomer generation to get spoiled. 

Today! Heavens, look how we bask in big league sports ventures with so many sport-specific stadiums. If anyone thought the Metrodome would be the "last word," home of the Twins, Gophers and Vikings, well forget it! So we're more spoiled than ever? Maybe. Do we appreciate it all? 

I remember the thrill of having the Timberwolves established here, 1989. I was 34 years old. 

Minnesota dazzles today. And just think how we could have dazzled with Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda! Mays played with the Minneapolis Millers in 1951. Cepeda played with the old St. Cloud "Rox." 

Today we have the female "Lynx" to cheer on in hoops. That would have been a hard sell for 1950s Minnesota! 

Once again, Willie Mays RIP.

I had this baseball card.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com