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Listen to audio of Dylan’s Nobel Prize lecture
Late last year, Bob Dylan issued his official acceptance of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Today, the Nobel committee released an audio recording of his lecture, a requirement for accepting the prize. It was already a compelling set of words, but it’s interesting to hear them in Dylan’s unique voice. The audio recording is on…
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A dad’s triumphant return to baseball ignominy
Something holy emanates from the crack of a baseball bat against a stitched leather ball. Doesn’t matter if the bat is aluminum or wood. That sound represents the unlikely collision of two round objects hurled toward each other by competing athletes. Ball and bat. Pitcher and hitter. Thunder and lightning. Two forces deeply connected, yet apart.…
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Rick Nolan opts against run for governor
U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN8) announced today he would not seek the DFL nomination for Minnesota governor. He will instead focus on his work in Congress and another run in his swing district. “After much thought and consideration with my wife Mary, friends, and family, I have decided not to run for governor of Minnesota,” said…
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Iron Range marks World Sauna Day ‘Sssssss’aturday
Saturday is World Sauna Day, an international holiday to celebrate the relaxing spiritual steam bath invented in the Nordic nation of Finland. This year, Finland also celebrates 100 years of independence from Russia and Sweden. Both holidays find their place on Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range, where large concentrations of Finnish immigrants, including some of my ancestors, arrived during the economic…
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Great Northern Radio Show cruises home to Grand Rapids
Lately, I’ve been thinking about Mr. Rogers. If you’ve never heard of him, or seen his groundbreaking children’s show, that’d be reasonable. It’s getting a little old now. But some of you might have seen the recording of his testimony defending federal funding of public broadcasting back in 1969. Others might have seen the viral story…
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‘Underground Optimist’ celebrates Ely
Last weekend, a new magazine appeared in Ely, Minnesota. Titled “Underground Optimist,” the publication is the creation of three Ely residents who want people in the area to see what’s going well in far northern St. Louis County. Kara Polyner, Greg Cramer and Rachel Colber all moved to Ely for love of a small community with a lot…
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FARGO, Season 3, Ep. 7: “The Law of Inevitability”
The FX series “Fargo” takes viewers on a “true crime” adventure through the snow-swept landscape of Minnesota. Based on the Coen Brothers Academy Award winning film “Fargo,” each season of the TV series explores a new story cast from the themes of innocence lost, human failings, and the redemptive power of goodness. Northern Minnesota author Aaron J. Brown…
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Journalists should be ashamed of delicious Doritos™ air drop
ID: Hey, ego! Did you see that they’ll be dropping Doritos™ Heat Wave chips over the city of Duluth at noon today? All the TV stations promoted it on the news! You should blog about that. EGO: Yes, but I can’t report that. It’s just a free ad for Doritos. ID: Doritos™ — and what’s…
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Trap shooting trend a blast for Minnesota youth
In America’s swirling political vortex of gun policy debate, one thing seems to be fairly non-controversial. Clay pigeons deserve to eat my child’s hot lead. Trap-shooting is the fastest-growing trend in high school youth activities in the state of Minnesota. This, according to a May 30 Bob Shaw story in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.…
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Duluth-Superior Film Festival opens today
Summer movie season has arrived, and if you’re like me you’ve noticed a sea of derivative retreads slated for our cinema multiplexes. “Blah Blah IV.” “Blah Blah: The Remake.” “Blah Blah: Based on the Popular Video Game.” The film industry has always balanced its urge for creativity with its need for money. It seems money…
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On ‘The Americans’ and the burden of secrets
In 2012, I joined many liberals in laughing off Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s assertion that Russia remained the biggest threat to American interests. Russia? That’s Cold War thinking. We’re living in a bold new world full of complex threats. Well, that’s only half right. The threats are complex, but we’ve since learned that the ghost…
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Minnesota’s summer clock more ticks than tocks
I’ve heard a version of the following statement from several different people this year: “I’m not worried about lightning, thunderstorms or tornados, but I am worried about ticks.” This from the hearty meat-and-potatoes stock of Northern Minnesota, people who chip ice off their beards to eat food they killed with a crossbow. You know it’s got…
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The real problem behind legislative chaos
I teach communication at a community college. I am the loathsome cur who assigns students to complete group work. Students often hate group work. Some don’t like the “group” part; others dislike the “work” component. In any event, relative strangers suddenly find their grade hooked onto someone else’s wagon. They become interdependent, whether they like it…
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FARGO, Season 3, Ep. 6: “The Lord of No Mercy”
The FX series “Fargo” takes viewers on a “true crime” adventure through the snow-swept landscape of Minnesota. Based on the Coen Brothers Academy Award winning film “Fargo,” each season of the TV series explores a new story cast from the themes of innocence lost, human failings, and the redemptive power of goodness. Northern Minnesota author Aaron J. Brown…
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There be titanium dioxide in them thar’ hills
If you’ve never heard of titanium dioxide, you’d qualify as normal. But you’ve probably used white paint, eaten red candy, or applied sunscreen before. All of those products use titanium dioxide. So do plastics and some electronics. The stuff sells at $3,200 per metric ton. Today, researchers release a report showing that the Iron Range region could…