Religion and Politics

The Catholic Church in Minnesota recently mailed out 400,000 DVDs to its parishioners in the state, asking them to accept the church’s belief that gay marriage is wrong for human beings. In fact, gay marriage is so bad for the rest of the world, the Catholic leadership wants lawmakers to pass a new law forbidding [...]

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Happy Birthday Mom!

Ninety-one years. I’m sorry you didn’t get to celebrate today with those who love you most. You are terribly missed and frequently thought of. The love you shared with me and all of your beloved family members will never be replaced, but I’ll always remember you for your kind words, thoughtfulness, huge heart and ability [...]

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A New Friend

It took the 11 years and four treks, but I’ve made friends with the North Shore of Minnesota – a stretch of Lake Superior shoreline, highway, infamous landmarks, and seasonal resorts. Up until now, my travels that direction epitomized the word miserable. Few other places in the country boast about bad weather to attract tourists, [...]

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Health Care “On Us”

It’s an upward spiral that seemingly will not end any time soon. I’m talking about the cost of health insurance and specifically the cost that you and I – Joe and Jane consumer – get to bear to have adequate health plans that take care of our families. In this Wall Street Journal story, reporter [...]

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This is Summer

What best defines Summer? Independence Day. Boating. A beer or two.  Grilled food. No wonder we look so damn happy! -end-

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Nike and Lance Armstrong

Seven-time Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong, doesn’t have to ride a bike. He chooses to because he knows what people facing cancer go through each day. He understands the struggle and the fear. He wants to make a difference. So no matter what you may think of Armstrong’s comeback this year, this ad from [...]

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Soccer Player Revived by Defibrillator Implant

Here is evidence of the life-saving abilities provided by implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICD). In the video (taken at a soccer match in Europe in early June), a player drops to the field with a heart arrhythmia. Watch closely as his body jolts when his implanted defibrillator shocks his heart back into a normal rhythm. Truly [...]

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The Graduate

It’s official: My oldest child has graduated from high school. Her commencement address was remarkable (see short clip below). I’ve included a couple photos of her as seen on the Target Center jumbotron talking to 600 of her peers and an audience of 3,000 parents, siblings, grandparents, and friends. Here’s the introduction and first couple [...]

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E tan e epi tas

My 18-year-old daughter, a senior at Maple Grove Senior High School, graduates on June 7. In a few weeks, wings will spread and she’ll transition from a child student to an adult preparing for the start of her college experience. Wow. Where did THAT time go? Several years ago, in her Freshman year, she spoke [...]

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Best Dad Memory

My Dad marched to the beat of his own drum. He set his own standards, and while they changed through my childhood years, the bar and his expectations were always higher than I was tall. Dad was a product of a rough and tumble father and a mother who only knew how to love and [...]

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