**I remember the first time I heard the word “rationalize” in the context of municipal infrastructure.** I was reading the Winnipeg Recreation Strategy, a framework that lays out a 25-year plan for pools, arenas, community centers, etc. within my city. As I was scanning the document, I kept coming across this word. It popped up
Read & Share sourced from: Strong Towns
“… when a job went wrong, you went back to the beginning. And this is where we got the job. So it’s the beginning, and I’m staying till Vizzini comes.” It’s a less-famous line by the character Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride, but perhaps one more fitting for our current moment in the American
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One of my favorite quotes is from 1966 when longtime California state senator Dick Tuck was defeated. His comment to the media was, “The people have spoken, the bastards.” At my age, having been on both losing political teams and winning political teams, I prefer a more gracious approach. On a more cynical note, however,
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A debate topic we may or may not hear much about this year is that of the budget deficit. Common sense should tell us that a reasonable amount of debt is not only acceptable but arguably good business. Too much debt, however, is a destructive path. What ever happened to the politicians who used to
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I’m not a professional angler. When it comes to tips and tactics on how to land a lunker walleye or fill a stringer in short order, I’ve got more questions than answers. In the not so recent past I casually refered to myself as the human cold front because of a perceived lack of fishing
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Despite all the gloom and doom of a seemingly endless political campaign, the USA is doing better economically than any place in the world. China is not factored as a comparable due to its lack of freedom. Russia has an economy equivalent to Illinois. Yet, we whine and demonize each other. Our economic engine has
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Upon digestion of the North Dakota primary elections, a few things have surfaced. For all practical purposes, it is arguable that Lt. Governor Tammy Miller has been the acting Governor of North Dakota for about one year while Governor Burgum has been traveling the country running for President, Vice President, a cabinet position, or whatever.
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In a speech at Norway House, The Norwegian American’s Editor-in-chief Lori Ann Reinhall emphasized the vital role of a free press in a democratic society. She highlighted the challenges faced by newspapers in the digital age and emphasized the importance of quality journalism over free, unverified information on social media. Reinhall also discussed the need
Read & Share sourced from: The Norwegian American
As you (hopefully) head to the polls today, one of the races you’ll be asked to decide – if you live in Minot – is who to choose for Minot’s City Council. When you get to that portion of the ballot, you’ll encounter seven names. You’ll only get to choose three of them. Hopefully you
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Soon our North Dakota Primary Election will be over. So many choices. Which gubernatorial candidate to vote for? The lying lawyer or the lying CEO? Or, are they both telling the truth? Shall we vote for the guy with gelled hair and designer glassess running for Congress who brandishes an assault weapon, or pity him
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Sometimes, all we have to do to create something, is not destroy something. It’s not a complicated idea, but it is – apparently – not a commonly understood one, either. It’s also one we need to be reminded of from time to time. This is one of those times. There’s a story from three years
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If you’ve been following my news and commentary on the Nok Back Tavern acquisition, you must be thinking, “he really liked that place.” And yes, I do enjoy a beer with friends. Sadly, I never made it to the Nok Back Tavern. Perhaps that’s its own lesson in what happens when we don’t support our
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Yesterday, I joined the team at The Dakotan for a conversation on serving on City Council, the upcoming local elections, and my recent work covering the Nok Back Tavern acquisition. It was a fun chat, thanks to the hosts Jonathan Starr and Kyler Collum. And they do these weekly with different guests, so throw a
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It’s time to do away with the County Commission primary process completely. Because, what’s the point? What does it accomplish besides making it more expensive to run for office and confusing voters?
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Before you agreed to make an offer and start a negotiating process, you must have first become convinced that you wanted to make the offer at all, right?
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It is becoming quite apparent that border security is an issue that North Dakota primary candidates have been advised to address by their overpaid consultants.
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