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Historic superlatives have become trite

Letters

To the editor: From the point of view of a narcissist, who can look at pictures contrasting President Obama’s inauguration and his own first inauguration, 47 still boasts about his historically large crowd. (“No one’s ever seen anything like it!”) This self-same narcissist, when confronted with the enormity of the June 14 No Kings demonstrations and contrasted with his crashing of the U.S. military’s 250th anniversary parade, which coincides with his birthday, pouted and fell asleep. Again, there are pictures to contradict 47’s version of what really happened that ...

What is the truth?

Columns

We live in a world where there may be 10 different versions or ways to describe or explain the same thing. I had never heard the name Fake News until recently. People have their opinions and preferences that they will voice as if it is the absolute truth. Advertisements may or may not be accurate. A political cause or charity may benefit no one but the people running it. How do we know what to believe? How can we identify misinformation? How can we know the truth? One truth is that identifying the truth can be rather difficult. One study suggested that in our computerized ...

In praise of radishes

Columns

Of all the root crops known to humankind — and I’m including rutabagas and cattail rhizomes here — my favorite is the humble radish. Radishes are a good source of vitamin C, minerals, and bad breath. But their benefits don’t end there. They don’t even begin there. Radishes also provide a fast and easy win for the home gardener. Under the right conditions, radish seeds can sprout in as little as a few days. A couple of weeks later you can be munching on the subterranean fruits of your labor. This quick reward is key if you’re trying to get a child interested in ...

More than just mom

Columns

Dear Annie: I am a 60-year-old divorced mom with three grown children in their 30s. I have spent most of my adult life putting my family first, especially after my marriage ended more than a decade ago. I raised my kids mostly on my own, worked full time and never really dated seriously again. Part of that was fear, and part of it was being too busy trying to hold everything together. Now, for the first time in years, I have developed a close friendship with a male co-worker who is about my age. We have worked together for a long time, and over time, that connection has grown into ...

Society to screen Jackie Robinson biopic ‘42’

Columns

NEW ULM – The next film in the New Ulm Film Society’s lineup of baseball movies is “42,” a true story about one the most important chapters in sports history. The screening begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 8, at the New Ulm Public Library. Released in 2013, “42” is a biopic about player Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Before 1947, Major League Baseball like most of the United States was segregated based on race. Only White players were allowed to play in the Major Leagues and African American players were regulated to play in the Negro ...

Living together, falling apart

Columns

Dear Annie: I feel like I’m in a toxic relationship with my roommate. We’re both older and used to be good friends until we got a place together. I quickly realized she has somewhat of a hoarding issue and a habit of starting projects she never finishes. I work two jobs and am gone from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. or later. Meanwhile, she collects unemployment. On several occasions, I’ll come home to find the front room torn apart -- boxes from the garage everywhere, or her closet contents sprawled across the floor. Sometimes she empties all the kitchen cupboards and drawers, then lies on ...