Hey Ed, first off, you have a cool writing style. But I have to call you to task on a couple things.
First, guns don't kill people, idiots like Moises kill people so why isn't it perfectly reasonable to you that non idiots be allowed to carry weapons? No instead you want to insult the intelligence of Republicans. Can't you come up with a better argument? Get a clue Ed.

Secondly, since when does how long you've been doing a job qualify you as the best candidate for the position? That's asinine. Length of time in job should have the least amount of bearing. Productivity and performance are the key factors. I'm not saying there aren't good tenured teachers, because there are I know them personally; but to imply that a young, energetic brilliant up and comer should be laid off before someone who is possibly mailing it in until retirement is silly at best. And to further label those who have a different view as "anti-labor" is ignorant. Ya Ed, those with a different view hate teachers and are just anti-labor. Really? Comon Ed, you're smarter than that.

All this bill does is remove the (let's be honest) DISCRIMINATORY yes, I said it DISCRIMINATORY "seniority" factor from being the deciding measure between two equally qualified candidates.
This is good for MN teachers and this is good for MN schools and I would even argue, good for the taxpayer because if younger more energetic teachers are willing to do the same job for less money and do it as good or better...that is a win in my book.

I'm just saying that the system has been designed to protect tenure and seniority and it shouldn't be that way and something should change.

You done good.

The chief economic drive for a newspaper is delivering eyeballs for an advertiser. The very fact that the Reader has survived, maybe thrived, while charging no fee is testimony to this economic fact. Hook up with google analytics - it's free. You can get all kinds of statistics on the number of visits per day, where they come from, how much time they spend on this site, what pages they visit... the whole enchilada. Think what you will about google, the analytics program is a dandy for statistics enthusiasts.

fwiw, I enjoy tremendously all your columnists. One of them seems (to me, anyway) a bit juvenile at times, but occasionally shines forth a very good brilliance, showing some promise as a Person.

Barak Obama is not a bonehead. I would say he is a tool of Wall Street, a betrayer of the ideals of many of those who supported him, a shredder of the constitution and a murderer of US citiens. But not a bonehead.

Amy's thought about the proper response to the white alliance being for no one to show up was the attitude of many of the activist, It would have been better had those who just had to show up just turned their backs and kept silent, but so it goes.

"We are kept divide3d so that we may be fleeced seperately." There i white privelage and there is racism. If you are white you benefit from it, even if you don't want it, hate the thought of it and work to abolish it. White privilege was not created for your benefit, but for the benefit of those in charge.

If you want some catharsis? find a picture of a (white) guy sleeping on a park bench or a (white) mother lined up with her kids waiting in a soup line and write "It's hard to see white privilege when you are broke, jobless and homeless." on it

Paul, what is wrong with you? Lately I've noticed your columns getting less scatlogical and nonsensical, and now are sometimes even humorous. Can you no longer afford self medication?

Obama is a bonehead. Im sorry Louis> Obama sucks.

booooo

louis fallert you are ridiculous, im white and I have never, ever been allowed any sort of white priviledge because I AM white. I have worked my fingers to the bone day after day to get a paycheck just like everybody else that wants something more outta this life. any job that i have ever gotten was NOT because I was white, i was just motivated to work. Am I racist? Hell No! i am a vikings fan, A.P. is my favorite player, i have black friends and i have indian friends i also have white friends and PLUS i got a black dog so take this however you want ... i AM racist against "thugs" or "gangbanging cowards" "thieves" and anybody who hurts another person physically, regardless of skin color. There are good people and there are bad people . i have been in 38 states in the US , most big cities i have been to several times . i see just as many homeless white people as black or indian or mexican. just as many poor white people as black or indian or mexican. im gonna tell you that no one ever is handed anything because of skin color. you are dead wrong on that one. the only way any one gets handed anything,for free, is if you are lazzy and want nothing more than welfare [government assistance] nothing meant towards people who need it, but minnesota state services say its ok to be a lazzyass ,they even invite all the other lazzyasses from other states to come live for free basically. so if you are going to tell me that i get something special because im white ,THAN YOU ARE AN IDIOT.

Seriously Joe thank you. I get frustrated by the stupidity around here. Thank you

The most frustrating thing about the unfair campaign for me is the fact that I feel like I am being attacked. I am not a racist person, I try to be fairy pleasant to all people...until they give me a reason not too. The color of their skin does not make them a different person on the inside! And that is the part I am interested in. I really feel that this stupid campaign could have made a difference if they had gone about it in a completely different way. But Amy I completely agree with you when you say that its ridiculous that in the year 2012 we are still worried about the color of people's skin!!! Its heart breaking to me that there is money being spent on this campaign when we have children right here in our city and county who could use that money for food. I just read my "hunger highlights" from the second harvest food bank and how they have started a backpack food program; attached to that was a short, but sad, story a nurse from Gilbert sent in. So this nurse is talking to this 7-year old boy and tells him that some of the food she is giving him he probably won't like but he needs to at least try it. His response: food that I don't like is better than no food at all. This is from a 7-year old!!! We have starving children right here and we are so caught up in the color of skin...that just seems very sad to me! I just feel like we should have our priorities in a much different order.

Okay here is my opinion, I think that you are absolutely right there are more important things to be focusing our energy on. And yes it would have been a great thing had nobody even batted an eye at the eight whatever they call themselves people at city hall. To be honest they are entitled to their own opinions as we all are according to our constitution. And as far as our president I respect Obama because he is our president! He will never make everyone happy, there will always be somebody who does not agree with him but that is part of the job. No president has ever pleased everyone. Like I said everyone is entitled to their own opinions that's what makes our country what it is. So it is my opinion that to change the actions and behaviors of others is impossible but we can have an influence. Now that starts with our own thoughts, behaviors and actions. If we don't take part or acknowledgement or even pay attention to adversity than it ceases to exist. When we give attention to those that oppose than we give them exactly what they are looking for --attention. Let's not give anymore of our attention to people that are not worth our time! I would also hate to see Duluth to be known for by this! Thank you Amy for a very insightful article.

So, ya just phonin' it in now Gary? Your articles have become copy and pastes from the last few months with just a hint of something new. Worse, they are tired references to conspiracy theories that contribute little or nothing to the conversation. The story of the Canadian reservation schools has been taught in Canadian schools for decades, you exposed nothing, and by not being honest, you make matters worse.

Really like this website, especially since I can now tell you, Mr. Raymond, how much I enjoy your articles. Looking forward to reading them online.

Believe it or not, you should try McDonalds overseas. At least the European version, and I live in Belgrade, Serbia, big city with a lot of homeless people. But the scenery is the same all over good old Europe. Spotlessly clean, to the point of looking sterile, no hobos to be seen anywhere. I guess it's the matter of cultural difference. Same bland food though.

well this guy's clearly a child molester

In 2005 my son Erick Greenwalt, had what the medical profession would call a mental breakdown. Unfortunately I went first to Range Mental Health to find out what to do. I knew better, but reacted instead of thought it through. The first thing they did for him was medicate him on something called Risperdahl, a drug that was to take him down the road further into his nightmare.

Fortunately I had clipped out an ad by Dr Kohls a few years back and had stuck it in my address book. So, when Erick got progressively worse, I took him to Dr. Kohls. Dro Kohls saved Erick's life and my life and all I can say is I am overwhelmed with the mighty steps of God that brought me to this Doctor of Truth.

My son was led down the path of increasing his amounts of Risperdhal until with each hour long session that Dr Kohls spent with Erick, and listening to Erick and caring about Erick and becomming not only his advocate but his friend, well, my son began to emerge from the horrors of this dark and sinister world of illusion and being drugged further into oblivion.

It took ten years of couseling with Dr Kohls, his love for Erick and diet and exerices, and of coruse an unfailing fath in God, but Erick now lives drug free, in his own apartment and is writing a book, and livign a life of joy and passion in a community which supports and loves him.

If we had not found Dr. Gary Khols, I can only imagine the horror that Erick was up against and that darkness winning out. Alas, there is a soul like Dr. Kohls, who is not afraid to step out with not only the Truth, but documented proof, of the complete subltely of the drug world, and the lie that it continually reinforces somehow in the minds of its patients that theyr are victims.

Dr.Kohls broke that lie for Erick and for me, and for all who know us. We are testimony and indeed God is in cotrol of the universe and not man; that eithics does hold true and come to light like no other Truth, and that if one perseveres each day with a Lighted Passion, as Dr. Khols does, and with spirituality backing that passion, the world changes, and people are saved form lives of darkness and brought into the Light. Hurrah!! Hurrah!!!! Hurrah!!! for this gentle soul, who is not afraid to speak Truth and shed Light on indeed a world that needs it more than ever!

Gary;
I sometimes wonder if you understand that people can do the same sort of research that you do. Only most people don’t have something to sell, like their own brand of therapy. Here are a couple things I found out about Marcia Angell.

She stated that in 2002, Pharmaceutical companies made more profits than all the other Fortune 500 companies combined. She fails to mention that 2002 was a highly unusual year, when accounting rules changed and corporations had to account for previous mergers. In 2003, profits returned to more normal levels and Pharmaceutical companies were less than 6% of the Fortune 500 profits.

She also seems to not understand how drugs get to market. Universities do not do all the work. Maybe you should check out the NIH web site for a response to that.

I didn’t look up the rest of your references and why should I? I have found a consistent pattern for your articles using these sorts of inflammatory sources. I understand that the Reader is an entertainment weekly and anyone should do their own research before taking medical advice. But I don’t see other writers using their articles to promote their own businesses. Please do the right thing, and stop.

I agree with your comment about the WWW being a great and scary place but I'd like to see the younger generations be able to stand on their own feet without the web as a crutch. I just dont want the world to stop because the web is down. It still spun around fine before it came around. Call me old fashion but I still like reading a newspaper, writing letters/cards or talking to a teller. :)

Won't that put the Packers panties in a bunch! Lol ;)

Won't that put the Packers panties in a bunch! Lol ;)

LOL. love your writing skills, very comical for me! agreed we dont need that coke head!