A good night of sleep. Now I feel equal to it. After class yesterday, I ventured into the heart of Rome. There, I found my way to the statue of Bruno in the Campo di Fiori. He, a Renaissance humanist, heretic and memorization master, was burned at the stake in 1600 for a range of unacceptable views, including that Jesus …
“Is it your contention, Orv, that the sock cartel is behind this taking off your shoes nonsense at the airport? I think you’re on to something.” “What?” screeches Orville. “No! I never said a word, about anything. I just want to sit here quietly and enjoy my drink.” “Good luck with that,” says Stanley. “So, that wasn’t you? Huh. I …
It’s a big planet. I flew from Bismarck to Minneapolis, from Minneapolis to Paris, from Paris to Rome. I started at noon Saturday and arrived in Rome at noon Sunday, though, of course, I had lost seven hours in time zone. It’s a big planet. By the time I arrived I wanted to burn my clothes. But I had done …
I was out of the country when I heard the news of Molli Bernstein’s death in Fargo on Nov. 19 at the age of 27. When I lived in North Dakota, I photographed Molli several times, including the above shot that appeared in an exhibit of my photography at the then-Dakota Harvest Gallery in Grand Forks. I received several offers to …
It’s hard to go wrong with mac ‘n’ cheese. That’s a saying that’s probably been said by many a mom when they’ve been contemplating what to make their kids for supper. One of the nicest things about this classic comfort food is that there are so many variations a cook will never run out options. Therese is generally the mac …
The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team skated to a 2-2 tie with Michigan State University on Saturday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena. The tie came on the heels of a 4-3 defeat to the Spartans on Friday night. Zach Yon and Tucker Poolman scored goals for UND (7-5-3), while Thomas Ebbing and Patrick Khodorenko tallied for MSU (4-6-1). In the …
Hi folks, it’s me, your intrepid reporter. You know, a member of the lame stream drive-by media. One of the people complicating the system with facts and research. Fortunately, many voters were able to see through that mask of deception and elect Donald Trump as president. I just got word. The Enlightenment is upon us. Here, in the bunker, reception …
Journal of a journey to Rome. I’m teaching a capstone humanities course for a Catholic university. Twenty-five students. They have been there all semester, staying in a convent that has plenty of room for the campus. My job is to show them things about Rome that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to see. Long day of flying ahead. Bismarck, …
Michigan State University withstood a fierce third-period comeback effort by the University of North Dakota to claim a 4-3 men’s college hockey win over the Fighting Hawks on Friday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena. After the two teams traded first-period goals, the Spartans (4-6) took a 4-1 lead early in the third period then withstood two goals by UND freshman Tyson Jost …
The Minnesota Wild defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 on Wednesday night in Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Scoring for the Wild were Mikko Koivu, Jonas Brodin and Zach Parise (empty net). Blake Wheeler scored the lone Winnipeg goal. Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk had 15 saves, while Connor Hellebuyck stopped 23 shots for the Jets. Photographer Russ Hons was on hand for …
“Hey Orville. Have you ever been to Minnesota?” “Oh, Stanley; you’ve finally lost it, haven’t you?” Orv asks in a soft sarcastic voice. “Should I call the rest home for you?” “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” responds Stan in a monotone voice. “I resent something. Besides, my delightful impishness has frayed some nerves over there. The split …
Thanksgiving is here, and we in this area have so much to be thankful for. “We the People” have so much to be thankful for in our area. Our communities have public employees who truly care about residents. We have parks and recreation facilities that are second to none. Our schools — public, parochial, private — are excellent. Our children …
The Electoral College is with us forever. Barbara Boxer can introduce bills to abolish it until the cows come home, but ending it requires a constitutional amendment, which would require 37 state legislatures to approve it. At least 12 of those state legislatures would have to volunteer to reduce their impact in the presidential election by more than 50 percent. …
To all my friends around the United States and beyond, I am writing to give thanks for your friendship, for your interest in my work, for your commitment to the principles of Enlightenment. In the wake of the raucous election and the American circus of failed political civility; in the wake of the appalling and unnecessary crisis on the Standing …
Today I’m giving thanks. I reached a major milestone this week and am celebrating losing more than 50 pounds. My Metabolic Balance journey began Jan. 2 of this year. It hasn’t been easy, and I’ve come to appreciate my resolve, determination, stick-to-it-ness. Being intentional helps. A great friend once told me, “You’re the most intentional person I know.” I’ve found that …
Note: I generally don’t re-post old articles because unlike things published in newspapers, blog posts don’t get used for fish cleaning, they just hang out in archives deep in the bowels of the Internet, accessible forever if you look hard enough. But it’s been 15 years and a day since the Thanksgiving I’m writing about below, so I though I’d …
The University of North Dakota women’s basketball team picked up its first victory of the season Tuesday night in Betty Engelstad University, a 70-43 win over Mayville State University. The Fighting Hawks (1-3) were led by Lexi Klabo, who scored a team-high 16 points. Fallen Freije chipped in 14. The Comets (3-3) were paced by Andi Gayner’s 12 points. UND returns to action Sunday when …
When it came to phone conversations with mom, I was always the one saying goodbye. This perhaps wasn’t the case as a child, but this is what I most remember. “Well, I’ll let you go,” and so on — so much so it just became a habit. After she became sick, it continued (despite the guilt) because I felt, I …
When I was in television, I used to make a list about this time of year. It was a list of things for which I am especially thankful. We would run it from the bottom to the top of the screen at a very high rate of speed. Too high to read. We all enjoyed a good laugh. Most of us, anyway. …
The University of North Dakota men’s basketball team, behind Drick Bernstine’s triple-double, propelled the Fighting Hawks to a 101-63 victory over Presentation College on Sunday in Betty Englestad Sioux Center. Bernstine, one of seven UND players in double figures, had 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the 3-0 Hawks. Connor Avants had a season-high 15 points , while UND teammate Gene Crandall led all scorers …
Goaltender Cam Johnson recorded his second straight shutout as the University of North Dakota defeated St. Cloud State University 3-0 on Saturday night in Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud. Johnson stopped 36 shots, while St. Cloud’s Zach Driscoll had 33 saves. The Fighting Hawks (7-4-2 overall, 2-3-1 in National Collegiate Hockey Conference) received all the scoring they …
“Syria is slightly larger than North Dakota. Did you know that, Orville?” “No, and I don’t really care, you doorknob. What does slightly mean, anyway, bland Stan?” “This canvas disturbs me inside. It’s a seizure waiting to happen.” Stanley stares at a painting on the wall of the restaurant for a couple of minutes, appearing to be in deep thought. …
I’ve been thinking lately about what I really want for Christmas … especially this year, when “peace on earth, good will to all” seems in such short supply. My family tells me I’m tough to shop for. I like what I have; I certainly don’t need more. So in the interest of making life easy for anyone who’s thinking of …
The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team, behind a hat trick from Shane Gersich, snapped a six-game winless streak with a 4-0 shutout of St. Cloud State University on Friday night in the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud. The Fighting Hawks (6-4-2 overall, 1-3-1 in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference) outshot the Huskies (6-5 overall, 2-3 …
Garrison Keillor often said there are two kinds of Lutherans — those who take their religion very seriously and those who mostly don’t. I’ve been accused of being in the second group, although my Norwegian grandfather, Hans Vorland, helped build the Bethany Lutheran Church near Wellsburg, N.D. Some Facebook friends know I recently had my grave marker placed in the …
(For those who missed Part 1, the first seven paragraphs are repeats.) Every year around 9/11, Facebook and other mediums are filled with flags and images from that tragic day and calls to “NEVER FORGET,” as is proper. The day should never be forgotten. Except many people in this country don’t know many of the details of that day, or …
Back when our daughter Patti was a tiny pumpkin, Russ and I already recognized that raising children is one of life’s greatest joys. What we didn’t understand back then was the biggest bonus that would come along with it. We now find ourselves related to someone who knows how to set up a smart TV. If, as you age, you’re …
The University of North Dakota women’s basketball team held its own against visiting University of Iowa from the Big Ten conference on Wednesday night in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, rallying from nine points down at halftime to tie the game at 40-40. But the Hawkeyes (3-0) put the brakes on the Fighting Hawks’ comeback to claim a 75-60 win over …
We gave up our finest in the many wars we’ve been involved in. Men and women gave their lives so that we can live in a free and open society — a safe society, one where each individual should be able to live and work and raise their families in a loving environment. Our military has done the job. When …
It’s been just over one week since Americans went to the polls to elect a president. Somehow, it feels like much longer. In the hours and days that followed, some have despaired. Others rejoiced. There have been protests in the streets. We should have seen this coming, regardless of the outcome. For months prior to the election, there were articles …
The University of North Dakota men’s basketball team, behind Quentin Hooker’s 30 points, defeated Mayville State University 94-66 on Tuesday night in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Gino Crandall and Carson Shanks chipped in 11 points each, while Drick Bernstine added 10 and Conner Avants 9. More than 1,600 fans watched UND improve to 2-0. Mayville State fell to 5-1. Check out more photos from Russ …
There’s hardly a better time to prepare a pot of stew than when bad winter weather is impending. And by the looks of the forecast here in the Northland, there’s no time to waste. Along with chili, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, just to name a few, there’s hardly a better comfort food for a blizzard than a bowl …
What I can read into the Corps of Engineers’ announcement Monday on the Dakota Access Pipeline is that the project will not move forward as long as Barack Obama is Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Army. Well, good for him. Now then, it might be time for Standing Rock Tribal Chairman David Archambault II to send the Water Protectors/Protesters home. Today. And tomorrow. …
I’ve never gotten a very big kick out of shopping on Black Friday. Although, I must admit that $1.29 is a pretty good price to pay for a 52-inch Sony flat screen. After getting people all riled up for years about Black Friday shopping, retailers began trying to convince us that shopping at midnight on Black Friday was a good …
The University of North Dakota women’s hockey team solidified its No. 9 ranking Sunday by skating to a 2-2 tie with No. 3 Minnesota-Duluth in Ralph Engelstad Arena. UND (6-4-2 overall, 5-4-1-1 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association) won in a shootout, 1-0, to gain the extra point. UMD (7-2-3, 6-2-2-1 WCHA) jumped out to a 2-0 lead before UND’s Amy Menke and Charly Dalquist scored …
Every year around 9/11, Facebook and other mediums are filled with flags and images from that tragic day and calls to “NEVER FORGET,” as is proper. The day should never be forgotten. Except, many people in this country, don’t know many of the details of that day, or choose to ignore them, so they don’t have much to forget. You …
The Red River State Recreation Area, located in East Grand Forks, is part of the Greater Grand Forks Greenway and is located on the banks of the Red River of the North and the Red Lake River. The area, owned and managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, came about as the result of a grass-roots effort after the Flood of 1997 that devastated …
Two goals by forward Shane Gersich were not enough as the University of North Dakota men’s hockey team dropped a 3-2 National Collegiate Hockey Conference game to Denver University on Saturday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena. No. 6-ranked nationally UND (5-4-2, 0-3-1-1 in NCHC) is now winless in its last six games (0-4-2). The Fighting Hawks jumped out to a 1-0 lead in …
The University of North Dakota clinched a share of the Big Sky Conference football championship Saturday in the Alerus Center with a 38-31 win over visiting Northern Arizona University. But if you would have told that to Fighting Hawks fans in attendance after the first half, you might not have gotten many believers. UND erased a 31-10 lead in the …
I knew he would win. I’ve known it since last fall when I heard two stories on NPR in the same week. One was on the use of language in the power of persuasion — a rhetorical feat Trump has mastered. The other story focused on how people turn to authoritative power when they are uncertain or scared. After hearing those …
The University of North Dakota men’s basketball team won its season opener in a big way, defeating Division III Crown College 98-48 on Saturday afternoon in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. UND, a Division I program, was led by Quinton Hooker, who scored 17 points. Teammate Drick Bernstine had a double-double, on 12 points and 10 rebounds. Corey Baldwin added 16 points and …
The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year Nov. 11 at Arlington National Cemetery. The ceremony commences precisely at 11 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans’ organizations and remarks from dignitaries, including the president. The ceremony is intended to honor and …
Makailah Dyer’s 24 points, including six three-pointers, were not enough for the University of North Dakota women’s basketball team Saturday in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center as Fighting Hawks dropped a 98-91 nonconference decision to visiting Drake University. The game was the first of the season for both teams. Leah Szabla chipped in a career-high 21 points for UND, and Lexi Klabo …
“I’m not ready, yet, Orv,” groans Stanley. Orville sighs. “Everybody dies, Stan. We’ve been over this. Get over it.” “No, it’s not that. I’m ready to bite the dust at the drop of hat. Wear shirts, wash shirts. It’s getting a bit monotonous. Who drops their hat, anyway? And what type of a hat does it have to be? I …