Category: columns

  • Textistential Crisis

    Textistential Crisis

    This is my weekly column for the Sunday, July 20, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. Textistential CrisisBy Aaron J. Brown I’m slowly entering the age group that, upon hearing young people in public, wonders how the humans of the future will maintain electricity and running water. I’m not all the way there, yet, but drifting notably.…

  • A little less hooey, a little more Huey: the column

    A little less hooey, a little more Huey: the column

    This is my weekly column for the Sunday, July 13, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. You’ll notice that it’s based on a post I made here two months ago, but includes new information and perspective. A little less hooey, a little more HueyBy Aaron J. Brown It may not seem popular to emulate the late Louisiana…

  • After the Fourth

    This is my weekly column for the Sunday, July 6, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. After the FourthBy Aaron J. Brown Last I checked we still live in the United States. Don’t worry, I’m not about to ramble off on an anti-immigrant tirade or demand that the foreign language directions for my recent electronics purchase be…

  • Seven words I won’t forget

    Seven words I won’t forget

    This is my weekly column for the Sunday, June 29, 2008 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. Seven words I won’t forgetBy Aaron J. Brown When I was eight, a stroke of luck changed my life and taught me the majority of the dirty words I currently know. That was the year I won the…

  • RIP George Carlin, but the ‘seven words’ live on

    I didn’t post anything about George Carlin’s passing yesterday. I am working on a column for next Sunday. Most who know me know that I hardly every use Carlin’s famous “seven words you can’t say on television,” but I realized after some contemplation that these words have been a tremendous influence in my life. And…

  • Columnist Heffernan cut loose by DNT

    Columnist Heffernan cut loose by DNT

    Yesterday I finished reading Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road,” a novel about a man and his son searching for food and shelter in a post-apocalyptic America. They survive through sheer will, try to maintain hope despite absolutely no evidence that hope exists. Roving gangs of cannibals rule the landscape. And, with no intent to cheapen McCarthy’s…

  • The things we learn in a decade

    The things we learn in a decade

    This is my weekly column for the Sunday, June 22, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. The things we learn in a decadeBy Aaron J. Brown I’m finally starting to pick up on the patterns of nature out where I live. I grew up in the country around the edges of the Mesabi Iron Range, but I…

  • The parasite debate

    The parasite debate

    This is my weekly Hibbing Daily Tribune column for Sunday, June 15, 2008. I went a little crazy this week. This is the result of living in the deep woods of northern Minnesota and watching too much political news on cable. The parasite debateBy Aaron J. Brown Good evening and welcome to Nature’s Hall at…

  • Steel barons of the 21st century

    This is my weekly column for the Sunday, June 8, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. It was held over from last week because Essar made an announcement reiterating their commitment to the Minnesota Steel project just beforehand. My original sentiment remains, though; the Range must not depend on large steel companies or consultant-driven projects to deliver…

  • Evolution of Exercise

    Evolution of Exercise

    My Hibbing Daily Tribune column for this week was supposed to be about the Minnesota Steel story, but details emerged late in the week that may change the column so the paper held it. Instead I offer this charming (but not newsbreaking) piece about exercise. KAXE fans know that a version of this first appeared…

  • Grills, grills, grills!

    Grills, grills, grills!

    This is my weekly Hibbing Daily Tribune column for Sunday, May 25, 2008. I archive my columns at my writing page. Grills, grills, grills! I think it’s safe to say that summer has arrived. I thought that a while ago but then we got eight feet of snow with sustained winds of about a billion…

  • Dylan changed the world; so can we

    Dylan changed the world; so can we

    This is my weekly column for the Sunday, May 18, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. I archive my columns at my writing site. Dylan changed the world; so can we When I tell people I’m one of the co-chairs of Dylan Days I usually get a look. It’s a look that says, “You? You’re too young…

  • True knowledge in the north woods

    True knowledge in the north woods

    This is my weekly Hibbing Daily Tribune column for Sunday, May 11, 2008. I archive my columns at my writing site. True knowledge in the north woodsBy Aaron J. Brown The other day, my almost-three-year-old son Henry and I walked down to the lake to throw sticks, a favorite pastime of Henry’s and a ritual…

  • Buck up, Dollar!

    Buck up, Dollar!

    This is my weekly column for the Sunday, May 4, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. I archive past columns at my writing page. A shortened version of this piece also aired as a radio commentary on KAXE’s “Between You and Me” yesterday. Go to http://www.kaxe.org/ and click into the archives if you would like me from…

  • Brown on the Air: "The Almighty Dollar"

    Brown on the Air: "The Almighty Dollar"

    My weekly essay for KAXE’s “Between You and Me with Heidi Holtan” will cover the value of a dollar as the show topic asks “What can you get for a buck?” My thoughts range from international currency to Zimbabwe to crappy stuff you can buy at the dollar store. Ideally, this will make more sense…