Thanks John. Still the best hockey writer in MN. The friendships you've built over the years (decades) are incredible.

Hi! I noticed I'm on here twice. I worry it may be confusing for people who could be voting for me! Is there a chance that it could be combined? Thank you!

H.L. Mencken was my idol when I was in college back in the 60's. Talk about prophets!
But I just want to say, in all this chaos and confusion caused by charismatic Christians going over into magical thinking, we need to listen to Jesus, who told us to use critical thinking, "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?" (See Luke 12:56.)

Best Pizza

It is not so much minimum wage as it is mental health. The psychiatric drugs cause side effects that are worse than the illness, so people don't want to take them, so they end up on the street or in jail. Big pharma convinced government the drugs were the answer, so psychiatric hospitals were closed. We need the hospitals. They just keep people in wards briefly, thren send them out with a bottle of pills. Then the people soon turn to street drugs that feel more tolerable to them. People with psychiatric illness need longer term care. Hospitals need to be reopened.

No. Fund the full spectrum of residential and community-based mental health services so people can stay in the community. The comment above acknowledges how wrong-headed it is to put people in "wards." Isolated state-run hospitals would be worse, and even more stigmatizing. We've been down that road and we can do better.

Well, a friend who had drug/alcohol issues in Ithaca, n.y., was hospitalized recently and given medication, then released. He was housed in a senior living center. He attacked his next door neighbor with a knife and is now in jail charged with attempted murder. This man is a peace-loving man who became psychotic. He needed longer hospitalization. That is not done in New ayork anymore.

Jails are now the de facto mental hospitals.

Thanks

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

I've heard his last album & it's first rate. I'll be getting this one. I hope its on vinyl. This guy has a voice that doesn't quit. It's nice to know Duluth has this class of musicians right here.

Gray, if you don't like the United States and its flaws and can't living in Minnesota with Sibley's name bei g said out loud and proudly despite his controversial involvement in the U.S -Dakota War, then there is either touch grass ir move to Europe.

I am scotch irish english. I dated an african american man when i lived in san francisco. When we would walk down the street together, people would stare (this was in 1962). My boyfriend would say to them, "Don't worry, she's my sister!"

Doug also operated a HUGE costume shop in Minneapolis in the Colonial Warehouse across the street from the Monte Carlo. I think he opened it 1985 and it was open until at least the early 90s. I used his clothes for the cover of The Jets "Magic" album and for countless music videos by the Jets, Prince, Patti Labelle and many many more. He will be missed. PS - it's 2023 and I just found out about his death.

PS it's David Maderich

How could anyone kill an infant 😭 I don’t care it’s messed up, totally wrong!!! Oh My God it makes me sick That she kill that tiny infant how could d she do such a heinous crime and yes that monster should’ve been punished for killing that sweet little infant.

Joe BtfspLk has no vowels in his last name; it's part of his badluck. Pls spl Koretly!

You do have to make an effort to not spread rumors or falsehoods, or anything else that could make a public-health response harder for those around you.

as always, great column

Thank you all so much for all the work that you are doing to make our Earth a healthier place!