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Outgrowing an old friend group

Columns

Dear Annie: I’ve been friends with the same group of women since our children were in grade school. We’re now in our late 50s and early 60s, and for years this group has been my main social circle. We’ve shared weddings, divorces, illnesses and losses. I will always value them for that. Lately, though, I find myself dreading our get-togethers. The conversation has narrowed to a steady loop of complaints -- about spouses, adult children, politics, health problems, you name it. When I try to change the subject or bring up something positive, it’s brushed aside or met with ...

Year-round E15: Good for everyone

Letters

To the editor: Instead of Congressional leadership choosing to keep language about year-round E15 availability nationwide in the last funding bill, congressional leadership chose to remove. Rather than keeping E15 included, they established a new E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council with the intention to develop legislative solutions to “address the crisis facing our nation’s farmers and refiners.” Luckily, Minnesota corn farmers will have strong voices and representation with the help of both U.S. Representatives from Minnesota, Brad Finstad and Michelle Fischbach. Both are strong ...

The place of morals in life

Columns

Morals and living a moral life are needed to have a successful life. Morals can be a strong contributor to making the best,correct decisions. What are morals? By the book, morals are what is right and what is wrong. It is an understanding of what is good or bad behavior. They contribute to living a healthy civilized life. If we all live a life that includes morals, maybe then we could live together productively and peacefully. Instead of fighting, we could be kind and honest with each other, and be useful contributors to society. How do psychologists tend to look at morals? ...

Shedding light on cruelty toward our neighbors

Letters

To the editor: I grew up in New Ulm a long time ago. I graduated from Cathedral High School in 1960. I have lived most of my life in San Antonio, Texas but I carry in my soul my home town, New Ulm. The Journal has kept me in touch. May I thank you, the editorial staff, for covering bravely the important issues of peace and justice, and printing many different viewpoints. I read with particular interest the last column by Randy Krzmarzick: “Minnesota in the center of the news universe”.  He focuses on what is unfortunately happening in communities all over the United States ...

‘It’s Miller time’

Letters

To the editor: I’m not a beer drinker. I’m sure I’ve never uttered this proclamation before. But now that I’ve done so in print, I must explain that the “Miller time” to which I’m referring is that it’s time for Stephen Miller to go. Miller is the puppeteer behind the scenes pulling the 2025 strings. He’s sending the president out to do his real estate deals, which the President believes is his particular bailiwick. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the unelected, never-legislatively-approved Miller has dealt himself into an all-too-powerful position to wreak his own ...

An ancestral surprise

Columns

The results of a recent genetic test shook me to the core. It seems that I’m not who I thought I was. Some years ago, I sent a spit sample to 23andMe. The test revealed, unsurprisingly, that I’m 100% Norwegian. All my ancestors came from Norway; the test simply confirmed that I’m the whitest guy on the planet. The folks at Ancestry.com recently ran a promotion for their genetic testing. I’ve been working on our family tree at Ancestry.com and thought it would be interesting to know if there were any hidden connections in my genetic past. My Viking ancestors spread their ...