Friday, September 19, 2025
Haiku Friday: Kid Food
Mac n' cheese. Chicken fingers. Hot dogs. These are the kid foods of today, which vary a little from my own childhood dinners, which included things like fish sticks, "city chicken," meatloaf and (on rare occasions, as my Mom was and is a good cook) Swanson frozen dinners.
So let's haiku about that this week! Here, I will go first:
Meatloaf was a fav
I'd angle for the end piece
Where I found Mom's love.
Now it is your turn! Just use the 5/7/5 syllable pattern and have some fun!
Thursday, September 18, 2025
Political Mayhem Thursday: Political Will vs. Market Forces
In 2016, 196 signatories (mostly nations, but including a few entities like Greenland) agreed to work towards limiting climate change in the Paris Agreement.
Since then, governments have been a mixed lot. Some have worked to hit the goals set in Paris, while the US pulled out of the agreement in 2020 (under Trump), rejoined in 2021 (under Biden), and then withdrew again in 2025 (under Trump). The follow-up to that conference has never come together, and political will for it is fading.
Meanwhile, market forces have begun to push economies towards renewable energy including wind and solar. A big part of that dynamic has been that China has developed a huge manufacturing capacity to churn out electric cars, solar panels, batteries, and wind turbines. The result of this upsurge in supply has been (predictably) a huge drop in prices-- to the point that for many countries, their cheapest method to generate electricity are these green options. This has been most prominent in African and Asian countries where China already has market influence, but it has increasingly been a factor on every inhabited continent.
That means that China controls the energy markets of the future. Meanwhile, the US has become the world's largest export of oil and gas and is getting rid of incentives for the production and implementation of solar, wind, and electric vehicles.
I recently bought a plug-in hybrid car. It works as an electric car for 25 miles or so, and most of the time I am driving it in that mode. And, wow-- it is fantastic. The performance is outstanding in electric mode, and the vehicle is remarkably quiet. It's just a better thing. And over time, people will buy them not because they are "green," but because they are a much better value.
In the end, that may make all the difference.
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Bowling for Dollars
When I was a kid, a lot of TV was local-- very local. We had not one or two but THREE local horror movie hosts: Sir Graves Ghastly, Count Scary, and The Ghoul (who was a genuinely unsettling dude).
But what I found really mesmerizing was our local version of Bowling for Dollars, which featured the kind of people you would see at the grocery store in suburban Detroit; well, in fact, they were exactly those people.
The prizes were fabulously low-value. A cassette tape player, a set of retread tires, one frozen pizza... sure, there was the "big money" prize, but what got doled out most often were things that didn't seem like much of a splurge.
I found myself really rooting for the contestants. How could I not?
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Bad for goldfish, good for bears!
According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, a lake near me, Lake Cornelia, was a popular site for dumping unwanted goldfish. Somehow (given the harsh winters) they managed to not only survive but thrive and they totally took over the lake, pushing out native species.
In 2023, crews hauled out 50,000 goldfish. That's an astonishing number, given that this is not a very big lake, and the goldfish had grown to be up to a foot long.
A practical solution was found: There were a lot of fish, and the bears at the zoo love to eat fish. Now they truck the removed goldfish over to the zoo and get those bears good and fat.
I'm not sure why that story makes me happy, but it does.
Monday, September 15, 2025
On Authors
There were only two poems this week, but they were both winners.
We had this from Des:
Poisonwood Bible,
High Tide in Tucson, Pigs in
Heaven. Write on Barb!
High Tide in Tucson, Pigs in
Heaven. Write on Barb!
And this from Christine:
Ever changing tides
sawgrass and sea turtles
and southern charm
(Pat Conroy)
sawgrass and sea turtles
and southern charm
(Pat Conroy)
Why so few readers?
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Sunday Reflection: On killing
When I look at the last three high-profile killings-- Melissa Hortman and her husband, the Annunciation School murders, and now Charlie Kirk-- I'm unsettled by the fact that the killers in each instance spent much of their lives immersed in Christianity.
How does one get from the message of Christ to the point where it seems like the right thing to do is to kill innocent people?
I don't know what the answer to that question is.
I do know that I disagree with the prevailing belief that some killing of other people is compatible with Christianity-- for example, killing in self-defense, or as a member of the military. Jesus was clear in teaching that our directive is to love our enemy, and killing that person just is not love.
Yes, I know-- most people disagree with me about this. The marrying of Christianity and the military in the US is systemic, for example. But... how important is it what Jesus actually taught? Is it more important that cultural imperatives?
Saturday, September 13, 2025
The End Continues
Last night I went to see the Spinal Tap sequel, which comes 41 years after the original movie. It's not as good as the first one (how could it be?), but it is still pretty great. They could have stuffed it full of cameos (since musicians loved the first movie so much), but Director Marty DiBergi rejected that approach in favor of a few long appearances by just the right people: Paul McCartney and Elton John.
If nothing else, it is worth it for the last scene.
Friday, September 12, 2025
Haiku Friday: Favorite Writers
As we easy into "cozy at home" season (at least here in Minnesota), I'm hoping to tuck into the work of some of my favorite authors. We all have them, so let's haiku about that this week! Here, I will go first:
Lots of Vonnegut
I never read, or forgot
Old great paperbacks.
Now it is your turn! Just use the 5/7/5 syllable pattern and have some fun!
Thursday, September 11, 2025
PMT: Another death
I'll be honest-- I really didn't have much of a sense of who Charlie Kirk was. Until his death I really didn't know his story.
It's terrible that he was murdered. It seems to just be part of a long line of murders out of hate, resentment or mental illness that risk becoming the background noise of our society. When it becomes normal that someone was shot dead because of hate or political opposition, we are in a very bad place.
There is a fact about this one that sticks out. He apparently was killed with a single shot from about 150-200 yards away (so, up to two football fields, if you think that way). That's a pretty accurate marksman, especially given the moving target. It could be that this is someone with training in the military or elsewhere.
At some point I would love to read a piece by a psychology prof about the common mainframe of these shooters-- it could be a starting point for action.
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
No more drug ads?!?
The Trump administration appears to be considering a move back to 20th-century style rules limiting the use of drug ads on television. As you might imagine, the drug companies and media companies are fighting it, but.... well, those things are awful.
It's not that I don't want to know more about treatment for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. I'd rather hear about mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis, but that doesn't appear to have a treatment. It's just annoying to have the same ad play several times during a show, to the point where I am able to sing along with the side effect warnings.
It does seem like if those drugs are so good, a decent doctor will prescribe them without a patient hectoring them for it, right?
Tuesday, September 09, 2025
Damn, Banksy
The latest Banksy, above, appeared on the wall of the Royal Courts of Justice, just after nearly 900 protestors against the war in Gaza were arrested on Saturday.
It's compelling art. And I like that the most relevant artist today works for free to make a point.
Monday, September 08, 2025
Poems of the sandwich
Interesting! We had three vegetarian entries, and two with meat. Let's do the veggies first:
There we find Desiree (of course):
Fried jalapeño,
melted cheddar cheese, and fresh
tomatoes — sublime.
melted cheddar cheese, and fresh
tomatoes — sublime.
But also Craig:
A summertime cucumber
sandwich with Duke’s mayo and
a dash of pepper.
sandwich with Duke’s mayo and
a dash of pepper.
And Anon:
Wheat bread, Muenster cheese
Lettuce, tomato, mayo
Sandwich perfection!
Lettuce, tomato, mayo
Sandwich perfection!
And representing the omnivores we have Tim:
This week I consumed
A full deep fried hamburger
But it took two days
A full deep fried hamburger
But it took two days
And Christine (with my favorite sandwich of this lot):
Nothing better than
A turkey reuben dressed
With crunchy cole slaw.
A turkey reuben dressed
With crunchy cole slaw.
Sunday, September 07, 2025
Sunday Reflection: Our Earthly Reward
There is a broad belief in our country that if you follow Jesus you will prosper and be successful in the world. It is manifested most egregiously in the "prosperity gospel" sects, but to some degree is within all of us, when we pray for a success or to avoid a humiliation in our own lives. When athletes thank God or Jesus for their successes, the message is clear: I am marked as favored by God because I am successful.
Jesus taught the opposite.
He said that if we are to follow him, we need to "take up our cross" (Luke 9:23, Mark 8:34)-- and think about what that means! Carrying his cross for Jesus meant to carry the means of his execution. He said that we must give up all that we love, including family. (Luke 14:25-33). And riches? Jesus said we can't have both wealth and faith (Luke 16:13).
"The gate is narrow and the way is hard..." (Matthew 7:13-20)-- that is how Jesus described discipleship.
We all want life to be easy, and feel favored. We want to sit at the best table at the banquet. But if we choose Jesus, that is not the life we are choosing. Instead, we are choosing one of self-sacrifice, of going into prisons, of giving our clothes and money to those who need it more.
I have failed to live this out too often. But I'm not going to lie about what it is Jesus asked.
Saturday, September 06, 2025
For discussion tomorrow....
Friday, September 05, 2025
Haiku Friday: The perfect sandwich
The recent sandwich "assault" on a federal officer in DC made me think about, well, sandwiches. I'm a fan-- sometimes, there is nothing quite like the taste and texture of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, something that I crave (for some reason) when I am sick. And a really good grilled cheese? Yes, please! So let's haiku about sandwiches this week. Here, I will go first:
The strawberry jam
Lies atop peanut butter
Oh, sinful mingling!
Now it is your turn! Just use the 5/7/5 syllable pattern and have some fun!
Thursday, September 04, 2025
PMT: Alligator Angola
The Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, Louisiana has a long and tragic history. Built in 1901 on the site of several plantations, it has a reputation for being quirky (they had a rodeo) and horrible (it was the site of deadly forced labor for decades). It is currently the largest maximum security prison in the nation, a fact driven in part by Louisiana's very high violent crime rate and equally high rates of incarceration (apparently the mass incarceration is not stemming the crime.... hmmm).
The Mississippi River borders the prison on three sides, creating a natural barrier. It actually contains a 9-hole golf course which was built by prisoners but only available to the staff of the prison.
Now ICE wants to house immigration detainees at Angola. They are open about the fact that they want the reputation of the place to lead immigrant so to choose self-deportation. They may be right about that.
Wednesday, September 03, 2025
"Invading" Chicago
Calling Chicago a "hellhole" and the most dangerous city in America (actually, he said "CHICAGO IS THE MURDER CAPTIAL OF THE WORLD!), President Trump promised to move federal law enforcement and/or military troups into the city at an undetermined time.
It's a weird promise to make. For one thing, here are the cities with a higher per-capita murder rate (Chicago's rate is 17.5/100,000 residents):
- Birmingham, Alabama (58.8)
- St. Louis, Missouri (54.1)
- Memphis, Tennessee (40.6)
- Baltimore, Maryland (34.8)
- Detroit, Michigan (31.2)
- Cleveland, Ohio (30)
- Dayton, Ohio (29.7)
- Kansas City, Missouri (27.6)
- Shreveport, Louisiana (26.8)
- Washington, D.C. (25.5)
- Richmond, Virginia (24.2)
- South Fulton, Georgia (22.2)
- Cincinnati, Ohio (21.8)
- Louisville, Kentucky (21.7)
- Indianapolis, Indiana (20)
- Oakland, California (18.6)
- Albuquerque, New Mexico (18.4)
- Montgomery, Alabama (18.1)
- Minneapolis, Minnesota (18)
- Lancaster, California (17.7)
- Little Rock, Arkansas (17.6)
- Hartford, Connecticut (17.6)
Tuesday, September 02, 2025
The First Weekend of Football
Many years, the first week of the college football season is a real snoozer, as good teams play much weaker teams across the board, often paying the lesser teams millions of dollars. That happened this year, but there also were FOUR teams in the top 10 that lost (#1 Texas to #3 Ohio State, #4 Clemson to #9 LSU, #8 Alabama to unranked Florida State, and #6 Notre Dame to #10 Miami).
That list includes three matchups within the Top 10, which is unusual at any time during the regular season.
This coming weekend does not look like it will be quite as exciting...
Monday, September 01, 2025
On the last days of summer
Wow, I guess I'm not the only one who is affected by the end of summer. We had this from IPLawGuy, who clearly does not live in Minnesota:
Fake news! Summer lives
Labor Day is a false flag
Three more weeks till Fall!
Labor Day is a false flag
Three more weeks till Fall!
But then this from Tim, who does:
Dew points are dropping
Air becoming breathable
Crisp apples in sight.
Air becoming breathable
Crisp apples in sight.
And Craig, who doesn't (but maybe should):
Leaves start falling from
August heat and rain scarcity:
prelude of fall show!
August heat and rain scarcity:
prelude of fall show!
And Desiree, our third Virginian of the week:
Don’t switch the closet
yet! Mother Nature’s gonna
turn the heat back up.
yet! Mother Nature’s gonna
turn the heat back up.
Christine gets it:
First hint of color
As tired leaves twirl downward
To there resting place.
As tired leaves twirl downward
To there resting place.
And Anonymous speaks for many:
That nip in the air
Harbinger of colder days
Noo, I’m not ready!
Harbinger of colder days
Noo, I’m not ready!
Sunday, August 31, 2025
Sunday Reflection: The Heartbroken
On Friday, I was riding home from work along Minnehaha Creek and realized I was just five blocks from Annunciation Catholic Church where children were shot in a horrific incident this past Wednesday. Two children were killed, 17 injured, and hundreds traumatized for life.
I had never been down that part of 54th street, which is a pretty typical Minneapolis neighborhood with tidy houses with flowers out front and a mix of stores at the intersection. The church is across the street from "Mac's Fish and Chips," which had a hand-lettered sign in the window supporting the church.
The church was ringed by somber people. There were tables laden with food set out for those who visited, and makeshift memorials around the church itself. The windows that the shooter aimed through had been boarded up, and chalk was set out for people to write massages on the boards and the sidewalk.
I stood by the church and cried, which is what everyone else seemed to be doing. Then I walked to the front and watched people console one another in two's and threes. Across the street, news crews leaned on their equipment, waiting for a vigil scheduled for later in the evening.
It was devastating to see it. As I walked away, a man wearing an Annunciation School sweatshirt said "thanks so much for supporting us."
I turned to him, surprised that he was thanking me for anything. For a moment I couldn't think of anything to say and then I tearfully said the only thing I could: "I'm so sorry." He wrapped me up in a big hug that lasted.
I asked him "will you pray with me?" He did. And then he took out his phone and showed me a picture I will never forget. It was a photo of the shirt his son was wearing to school on the day of the shooting. On the back of the shirt at the top were two holes: One where a bullet entered and a second where it exited, on either side of the neck of the shirt. The bullet passed a millimeter from his son's spine.
Then he told me what happened. There was a big kid in his son's pew, who realized what was going on and shoved everyone near him to the ground, then laid on top of them to protect them.
I hope that story gets told, that this young hero is recognized. And I hope, I pray, that we all get better and are better.
