We stretch our luck if donning shorts now

Image from Flickr shows "brown" nature of our winter.

A fine winter for those who may have broken down and bought a snowblower, eh? The attitude to take is this: it's an insurance policy. 

We might grimace when writing out insurance premium checks. A friend who is a retired banker says "insurance is something that costs a lot of money and you don't ever want to use it." 

Problem is, sometimes you think you're eligible for coverage and then presto! The insurance company determines you're not covered. Like for me in the aftermath of the big derecho, as I thought I might get a little help - I really would have been happy getting just a little - and finding out my homeowners policy "doesn't cover trees." So I faced a pretty substantial expense. Ah, being a homeowner. 

As time goes on, you might appreciate more the arguments that it's better to rent. 

I have been "bequeathed" some issues like a property that got over-planted with trees. But God bless my late father who I'm sure reasoned that trees had value on an otherwise windswept prairie. So look out when opening one of your "storm doors" as it could get caught in the wind. You all know we can get winds right out of hell here in western Minnesota. But it's a universal for Minnesotans: to focus on the weather. 

So right now, anyone having finally gotten out the checkbook for a snowblower might curse some. Out of the blue comes this incredibly mild winter. But we're supposed to complain when the opposite happens, right? We make our rounds unimpeded by the usual winter. Human nature being what it is, we find other things that annoy us. 

 

Stretch your legs

People who like to take walks are quite impacted by the nature of the winter we happen to have. It is a blessing to have good enough health to walk a fair distance on any given day. The activity is recommended for nearly everyone for health reasons. 

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All the talk through the media about the onset of very mild weather got yours truly to overreact on Monday. I put on shorts and then was about to put on my usual extra layer for my legs. Then I thought "wait a minute, might not even be needed." 

I remembered my days as an active jogger/runner, how on many winter days I felt no discomfort doing this activity with bare legs. This avocation of mine basically spanned 1982-1992. The body in rapid motion helps fend off the cold. 

How "rapid" might I be today? Not sure, as I do not set standards for how fast I might jog. On Monday I had incentive! I covered my whole route and partly with a jogging gait. Partly. Many of you might see me along the bypass as I'm headed back toward home. Pedestrians are pretty conspicuous out there. 

 

After the sun sets

Back in my running period I'd even be out in those environs after dark, something I would never do today. I wouldn't do it today because of the risk of being accosted by law enforcement. This happened to me once in my post-newspaper years when I was no longer an active runner. So I was walking. Not the sharpest judgment. The law enforcement person was in an unmarked car. And would you believe, I did not respond to him at first? I remained walking! I could claim that I could not be sure it was Mr. Policeman. Who was it? 

Well I had to weigh the distinct possibility that it was Mr. Policeman, lest I end up in one of those confrontations where Mr. Police gets overly aggressive and I then try a lawsuit, end up in the news. Would be nice to get money but who needs the ignominy? And if the authorities decided you deserve money, it would mean you have been demonstrably hurt. And who needs that? I think the law enforcement person ended up recognizing me. He ended up rather genteel if that's the right word. 

The amicable discourse ended up brief and uneventful, the way it should be and the way law enforcement always wants it, really truly. But I filed it all away. Here's a theory: there is a fair amount of residential development close to the bypass now, in places that were totally wild and pristine in my younger years. Like when I was a jogger/runner. (I used to feel defensive saying "jogger" because it brought less pride than "runner." A foolish thought to have.) 

 

It's relative (wink)

How good a runner was I? As a testimonial for myself I'll suggest I was good for my size, my stature. The lowest I ever got in weight was 160 pounds. That's very light for my frame, not at all light by the standards of the top runners. Let's use the word "wispy" for them. I'm happy for all the prowess they show. I cannot mirror them. But maybe they should stay indoors on windy days. 

My how the wind can sweep across the flat terrain east of Morris. We see all the new townhomes out there. Oh, and there's a couple new opulent residences that have gone up a little further from the bypass. Best to locate further away so you aren't subjected to the sound of "Jake brakes" applied by trucks on the bypass. 

East of town is the place to develop these days. As for the west, I think the ground is too wet over there. There is no biking/walking trail to the west. 

 

An asset

(mild MN winter scene from facebook)

The trail is most certainly a magnet where it is, east of our community, actually connecting our community on the southern end. And there was an attempt made to have the trail extended! It would have gone out to the golf course. I was informed that a grant request for this was rejected. I have strongly encouraged that efforts be renewed to make this reality. The trail is a great way for this community to make up for how we are not a lakes recreation community. 

I hope Mayor Kevin Wohlers is paying attention. Congrats Kevin on the concern you showed about Prairie Pioneer Days fading away and just dying, I mean in its established form. So incredibly strange considering that the community's movers and shakers were so proud of its establishment once. I remember so well because I was with the Morris paper. I frankly went out of my way to pay attention to the efforts. A little bias at play, pro-community bias. 

So then years later the event as originally established bites the dust? Many things are hard to explain. One by one the various features of PPD just started disappearing. In its heyday, so many people and organizations pitched in. So pro-active with the impulses, just common sense, I would say. Maybe any thoughts about renewal died with covid. And covid is not exactly in the rear view mirror, or so we are told by media. 

Looks like the current week is going to be mild as heck. Next time I wear shorts for a walk, I'll be more comfortable. I try breaking into a "jog" now and then. It doesn't feel at all natural as it once did. But I think it was a good defense vs. the cold on Monday. See you out there. I most certainly see Sharon Martin and "Goldy" out along the trail. Great place to meet people's dogs. Oh, and the people too!

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilluy73@yahoo.com

The eyes have it? Who really knows, at the DMV

(mpr image)

From an email I sent to Jim Morrison:

I see where Hancock bank has been bought by "Star Bank." If I still had an account at Hancock, it would be my third bank that underwent change in ownership. This is stressful. I am speculating that most of these sales are by banks that can no longer handle mounting number of "regulations." This is what I was told after the State Farm Bank sale to U.S. Bank. 

You'll recall that I bailed on the Hancock Bank after I had to wait two weeks to get my semi-annual interest payment check in the mail. Never again will I set up an arrangement to get a paper check in the mail!

I made a couple trips into Hancock while I had my account there, and the downtown section sure does not impress me, looks seedy actually. 

I see where Katie Erdman and her sister Joyce are BOTH working at the DMV in Morris now. Yes, at "Doc Watson's" old building. That dates us! 

DMV is lucky to get the Van Eps girls as a tag team. I think that's pretty thankless work. It was a miracle visit for me, as there was no mention of the "vision test." The postcard I had gotten about this visit said I'd have to take the eye test. This is the reason I will not buy a new car. I don't want to spend $40,000 on a new car and then find six months later that I've lost my license. My theory is that the state may be backing off on the vision test. It must be stressful and time-consuming for the employees, and not really worth the trouble. I had been informed that the state is not a "stickler" on this anyway. But I can't take the chance of buying a new car. So eventually I'll be walking.

There was such a spate of articles recently quoting people saying there'd be six interest rate cuts this year. Scared the hell out of me. We'd be back to QE easily, so why did the Fed raise rates to begin with? What was the point? Now there are voices of skepticism about the Fed doing their cuts. So I don't know what to think, but I have three CDs maturing in November and December, and I don't want interest to be down at zero by then. I also do not want to cash in early.

If Trump gets back in power, he will seize control of the Fed. And then what?

 

January 28 is the day!

I shared with Jim, whose family are U benefactors also:

If I did not give $ to the U, I wouldn't get any birthday cards. As it is I got more than one. I'm paying a lot for these.

(end of quoted email)

 

Eye on the news, always

Let us scan the headlines and share some reactions. Here's a comment I shared with a Yahoo! News article:

If people begin to sense that Trump's re-election is becoming imminent, will we start hearing about people leaving the country to protect themselves? I mean, think of people like "Joe and Mika" and Lawrence O'Donnell. Fearing retribution from a president who could begin to enact legal measures.

Response from "Squirt Nelson":

They will not sense that, since it is not true. I want to see what the red hats will do when they start to realize that the USA will not let Trump pollute that worthy office ever again.

Response from "Chief":

Brian, you better start packing.

 

I seek to ring alarm bells about Trump:

I hope something really bad does not have to happen to America to have all the MAGA people start waking up. What might happen? Well if Trump were to take control of the Federal Reserve, because Trump would insist on taking control of everything. This could be catastrophic. I remember a news person reporting when Trump was in office "it is unclear if the president can remove the chair of the Federal Reserve." Translation: Trump would want to do it. Then he'd succeed because that's the way all these things turn out. President could fire Fed chair only based on "cause?" Well, drive a truck through that.

 

Response from "Judy":

Trump should also never be allowed to have the nuclear codes again!...he's too 'unstable' and dangerous!

Response from "Kelly:"

MAGA people are in a drug-induced cultist coma. They will NEVER wake up.

 

Not in the rear view mirror?

A comment I submitted to Yahoo! News on Jan. 16:

When Trump says something, believe it. Problem is, we get numb, the boiling frog thing or whatever. Republicans must ask themselves if they're really happy being in this Trump fan club or if they are ready to accept the real world consequences of Trump getting back in office. Repeal Obamacare? Trump has started talking about that again. Or to follow Mike Lee and get rid of Social Security completely? Don't you wonder if these are real tangible goals of Republicans, not just talk? Pause and think please.

 

Response from "Michael":

Republicans said for years they would overturn Roe vs. Wade, which I don't think most Americans took seriously. Look what happened...? Believe everything Trump says he will do, and unless you want to live in a police state - keeping in mind that, while you might think you would initially benefit from Trump's policies (I'm looking at you white male with a high school education) - in a police state, no one is safe. 

"Susan" responded:

I know people who focus on one or two issues, like "immigration" and "gas prices" as their primary reason to despise Biden and think that things were so great when Trump was in office. Never mind that for 1-1/2 years we were in the throes of a pandemic and nobody was driving or buying gasoline, so a surplus piled up and prices dropped. 

From "CJ":

Obamacare is a farce! There are many who took it out to find that they have had to pay back thousands & the doctors who accept it are getting fewer plus the quality of care. It is not the answer. 

"Real" responded:

Trump is going to talk a little too much. He's going to incriminate himself and not be able to skate around it. 

From "James":

"If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor. If you like your plan you can keep your plan."A typical family's premium will be cut by more than $2500." Yet after ten years they have more than doubled. Lies and then failure. Shove your plan. 

Hearing from "Saul":

Well, there is "bottom", and then there is "rock bottom". Perhaps we have not reached rock bottom yet. Perhaps it will take 4 more years of Trump to reach it. Perhaps no "Obamacare" and less SS and higher prices due to tariffs and isolationism will make people realize that Trump offers no "magic bullet". 

 

My thoughts on Nikki Haley:

I would breathe such a huge sigh of relief if Haley could just gain the positive momentum in this race. And I probably wouldn't vote for her in the general. But right now I say "you go girl." And I really mean that. Trump hovers over this whole nation like a horrible specter right now, found responsible for sexual assault etc.

 

"ArthurMorgan" responded:

It's his cult of completely deplorable and soulless people. 

 

Thumbs-up or thumbs-down?

My comment to Yahoo! News on the Benson High School school nickname matter:

We have this issue going on where I live in West Central Minnesota: Benson High School, the "Braves." Right now, looks like a tug of war between the school and the state, as the school would want the state to pay the considerable cost of changing the mascot. The state has passed a law like so many other states have. I am not aware of any serious talk about how the school might defy the state, but this article is interesting. 

 

Someone who goes by "me" responded:

Unconstitutional law restricting speech.

Here's the response from "Thomas":

Same thing here in SE Michigan where the School Board is forcing our local High School to change from the Chiefs. Last time I checked there's still one professional football team with the SAME NAME! 

"JW" responded:

There are a few schools left in Minnesota like Benson that haven't changed yet. I hope this article helps maintain these mascots because I like seeing local communities really behind the name of the Natives that MN honors on the flag and as school mascots. 

 

My comment on the Claudine Gay alleged plagiarism story:

From the standpoint of journalism, I decided long ago that a plagiarism story should not be a "story" for the media unless an aggrieved party has taken legal action. Otherwise there can be too much gray area. A legal action makes it a real allegation, and that's what media can follow up on. We must be suspicious that plagiarism accusations often come from people with an ax to grind. 

 

"Thanatos" responded:

One of the people she stole from has accused her. The media refuses to feature this though, because the accuser is black and that completely ruins the narrative they have going.

 

Here I share perspective in the aftermath of the E. Jean Carroll story:

And to think that Ronald Reagan was considered a risky nominee because he had been divorced.

 

The commenter named "me" responded:

I thought he was risky because of "Bedtime for Bonzo."  

A response from "Bill": 

Yes, how quaint those old days are now! That was when Christian conservatives mostly acted like true Christians. Nowadays they don't even pretend. Trump is their new Messiah.

Response from "Matthew":

That was back when the GOP base actually pretended to be religious. Now they just say they are and do not even bother faking it. 

 

My comment on how Trump's lawyers always buy time:

Let's just cut to the chase here: Give lawyers enough TIME and they can rebut any argument. To look at it another way, they can take something that is simple and make it complicated. I think even a lot of us people out here in Flyoverland can see this pretty clearly.

 

"Kenneth" responded:

Maybe true, but then why didn’t any prosecutor charge insurrection against anyone.  

 

My comment on the nascent Dean Phillips campaign:

Am I missing something? Has Phillips delivered a rally type of public speech yet? Isn't this a minimal requirement of a true presidential hopeful? Trump of course has given us that in spades. He talks even when he should shut up. 

 

"Trev" responded:

He had a meet and greet a week ago and no one showed up..he ended up serving his help with the coffee and cakes bought for the event.

 

Asa Hutchinson - I like the guy

My thoughts on Asa Hutchinson and his struggling within GOP:

Hutchinson, such a classy person, yet Laura Ingraham of you-know-which cable network laughed at the guy, for a feeble turnout at his "town hall" events. I saw a photo from one of those events and yes the turnout was small, but there sat Hutchinson showing a genuine interest in talking with the people. He wasn't troubled at all. Why do the Laura Ingrahams of the world behave the way they do? We need more pols like Asa Hutchinson.

 

"Cara" responded:

Because her show is entertainment and that is what her viewers want. They don't want someone who is genuinely interested in their perspective. They want someone to shout and call names and put on a dog and pony show.

"Tired of the hate" responded:

LOL! The fringe right's token piece of evidence for voter fraud is that it wasn't possible for Biden to be elected becasue Trump's rallies were supposedly so large and Biden had virtually none. But now all of the sudden rallies are unimportant?

From "Jason":

They behave that way because it is exactly what their viewers want. If they acted professional and delivered the news in a fair and balanced way, they would have similar ratings as NPR. Which says a lot about our culture and none of it good.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Morris newspaper part of an eroding landscape

(Hollywood Reporter image)

The headwinds have not let up for the legacy media industry. People my age have felt that whatever headwinds were out there, the legacy products would be there. Even at the hyper-local level? The Morris newspaper has in fact been through cuts. So the question is whether the causes of that will continue having a corrosive force. 

Looks to me like the "Canary" publication is a mere shadow of its former self. Hasn't that been an integral part of the business? 

The publisher writes ad nauseam about how we all need to support the paper with our business. Rather a self-interested person, n'est-ce pas? I gather from some of his extended writing that he'd like to see government help. Special favors for newspapers because they're so important. Again, people my age might be receptive because we are so accustomed to the "local paper." 

We want to continue assuming there will be an adequate base for the paper's continued existence, somehow. 

Somehow. The Morris paper published twice a week when I was there for my 27-year career. We all knew it was difficult to maintain this regimen. We had a visitor from the Wadena paper during our time under Fargo Forum ownership. He sort of wondered how we did it. I recall Jim Morrison saying something to the effect "we just do." It was definitely like sausage-making sometimes. We bore down and filled the space with product that at least reflected our sweat. 

 

Out of proportion

I look back and I know clear as day that we put out way too much "sports." Do not think that aspect escaped me. Relatively speaking, sports material is easy to obtain and process. Relative to alternative types of news. So it's easy to get that ball rolling and to keep it that way. 

Two issues of the paper every week! Yes it looks even more daunting now in retrospect. 

The times were so different, our UMM did not even think it essential to have a sports communications bureau. I am making a factual statement here, even though it sounds rather like a diss of UMM. I have no such intent. The UMM athletic director at the time would not dispute me if I said UMM had a sports info department in name only. The department would consist of an assistant football coach who was gone recruiting most of the time anyway. I remember one of these people with the last name Powell, another Griffin. Probably did fine work as it was spelled out for them. 

No finger-pointing intended here, not at the AD or administration even. The administration assessed the institution's needs and priorities at the time. I think it's accurate to say that Jack Imholte "the Silver Fox" did not prioritize PR outreach with a media bureau of some type, whereas today it's a huge priority for UMM to have its dynamic "website."

Jack Imholte "the Silver Fox"

I'll emphasize again that times have simply changed. Call it a sea change. In Imholte's time I don't think "selling" the campus with PR ranked up there, might in fact have been seen as a little crass. UMM was completely about the lofty ideal of liberal arts instruction. In fact - this was always strange - UMM was schizophrenic on athletics, happy for some of the obvious success we attained at times, while wanting to send the message "we're not about athletics, and we're prepared to pull the rug out from under sports if that becomes essential for showing how committed we are to academics." 

Let me just giggle here for a moment. Today I think UMM will do whatever it takes to simply sell itself. If sports can figure in with such a regime, well let's pump up sports unapologetically. And that's what UMM does now even with competitive standards considerably lower than when it was in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. We had bigger and stronger athletes then. Now we've fallen to a level where we can hold our own, and no one is going to notice, right? Are the young people having a good time? Well it appears so. So congrats UMM, not that you won't continue to face considerable headwinds, because I'm sure you are. 

 

A self-starter

Sea change! I'm talking now about media coverage of UMM sports. And this is accomplished with 100 percent precision and quality without the legacy media involved at all! Not one bit! How would Jack Imholte "the Silver Fox" react to this? Dumbfounded maybe? All the bells and whistles are with UMM's own "website." 

Website? No such animal in Imholte's days. And here's a super big irony, mind-boggling: in spite of UMM having all its sports media needs met by its own website - I mean 100 percent - take a look at the Morris newspaper's website. Really. Look, the sports link there is dominated nearly 100 percent by UMM sports! It's a terrible redundancy. The paper could have a lively and valuable outlet for showering attention on our many MACA teams (and of course MBA and MAHACA).  

So many teams, so many kids. 

The little MACA coverage you find on the newspaper's website is old, of little or no value. So why don't people speak up about this? Maybe the paper does get calls. I don't know what the person in charge would say. Our boys basketball team played an exciting game against Osakis on Monday night. We happened to lose in the very close final score. I struggled reporting on that game myself. For my blog post, I found some game info from the Alexandria newspaper website. I was thankful to even find that. 

One big problem is that my source material included no names of MACA players and none of their stats. I put up a post as best I could, a post that included no mention of MACA individuals. And of course that was a problem. Has the Morris newspaper even reported on that game yet? We're supposed to wait until next Tuesday?

I know of a former Morris school administrator who would lose his temper over this. Of course, losing one's temper is never a constructive thing. That's another matter to weigh here I guess. Meanwhile yours truly keeps his cool. (My post on the Osakis game is on "I Love Morris.")

Newspapers are erecting more barriers, not less, for the stuff they are willing to post online. My old "tricks" for accessing the West Central Tribune website aren't working now. And you won't find much MACA material there anyway, hardly any really. 

The Willmar newspaper has been sent reeling from all the corrosive changes for the newspaper industry. The industry is slowly losing its creds. People my age assume it will always be around. But stop and consider the retrenchment that has already happened. 

On this Friday morning I have a "Drudge Report" article in front of me on my laptop screen, an article updating on how the legacy media continues to be thrown on its heels. Change continues unabated. So look for Reed to keep on pleading for financial support of his business, maybe to the point where he and others are groveling at our feet. Maybe we're there now.

Addendum: Anfinson argues that newspapers need special help because they are "watchdogs" on government. But this is not a given! I would argue that the Morris paper itself is no "watchdog." I have half-joked that "lapdog" is more like it. So the argument is just rhetorical? Anyway, there is no assurance that a community paper anywhere will behave like a watchdog, because they are free to be the total opposite if they wish. 

So government should grant no special favors for newspapers. In fact, I can't think of anything worse than a symbiotic relationship between newspapers and the government. We are awash in "media" now, inundated, with no special need for the paper media at all. If the paper media in various forms can continue to hold their own, all the more power to them. They'll have to fend for themselves.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com