Entries by dickbernard

Chaos

POSTNOTE April 27: A week ago today I learned of the death of a colleague staff member at Education Minnesota, Angel Morales.  Here is the obit.  I really hardly knew Angel – he came on staff a year or two before I retired (2000) and his assignment was to the Rochester local, outside the Twin […]

Jim Christie: Thoughts on Iran

On April 8,  I sent the following to a group of people I thought might have a particular interest in the Iran situation: “I’m sending this to only a few of you. I’d appreciate your taking a look at, and perhaps commenting on, https://thoughtstowardsabetterworld.org/war-on-iran/, especially the postnotes for April 6 and 8 at the beginning and […]

Four Presidents

Kathy alerted me to a 18 minute piece on NBC April 21.  It features brief comments made very recently and personally by Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joseph Biden.  It is well worth your time.   Link is here.  “Cost of admission” is a 25 second ad. Here is a chronological […]

Cuba on my mind.

A year ago today we were about half way through the first 100 days of DJT’s second term.  Speaking only for myself, back then I was suspecting the worst, but in retrospect I was grossly underestimating the reality to come, and we’re only in the second year. Cuba is on the plate, and I think […]

Tax Day

Wednesday was tax day.  I had our appointment on April 8, and had left the prep materials with our advisor,  One problem: one 1099 had gone missing.  The good news was we would likely be getting a refund on both federal and state.  I had no idea why.  There were some peculiarities in some of […]

A Little Ride

We watched the conclusion of the Artemis II mission on April 10, 2026.  In all ways it was impressive – a perfect landing.  Only a few dilemmas.  Here was my view as the spacecraft neared touchdown.  I was most impressed with the diversity of the four person crew: a woman, an African-American, a Canadian, and […]

Observing the Catholic Church

Today, Sunday April 12, I went to church as usual.  Today’s Mass was in a new venue, still at Basilica of St. Mary  in Minneapolis, but today, and for the next 48 Sundays, the sanctuary is the church undercroft (basement) as the 100 year old sanctuary, and the church generally, is being renovated. I’m a […]

Jim Klein: Point of View on Iran

Jim posted a long response to the April 5 blog on Iran.  Here is his entire point of view: “You asked for response…!  Here goes.  As usual, I suspect neither you or many (any?) of your other friends is going to agree with much of this.   Forgive the digression, but I want to start […]

Printemps (Spring)

POSTNOTE: April 6, 2026: Sometime today, apparently, we’ll be told what is planned for the people of Iran.  I am deliberately writing this before I know the substance of whatever announcement will be made.  Other recent posts about the Iran issue: February 23, March 3, 14, 15 note archives at right. Largely because of a […]

Family Story

POSTNOTE April 1, 2026:  The same day I published this, David shared an item from the Minnesota Star Tribune on March 26: Abdi Elmi March 26 2026.  The setting is the coffee shop I frequent daily.  I know all of the persons involved in the conversation, though until the article, I wasn’t aware that the […]