Entries by dickbernard

The Empire Builder

UPDATED MARCH 22, 2025: The last few days I’ve had the privilege of watching the four episodes on the life of James J. Hill.   HERE is the link to the four episodes. An earlier promotional link about the series can be read here.  The portion about the link to the series there is outdated, […]

Decapitation

Why “Decapitation” as a title?  See end.  A dew days ago I responded to someone else’s post as follows: “Outstanding. Now if we all can really believe that we are the ones who will make the difference, one person, one action at a time“.  Barbara K, responded to my response: “Richard, I have posted this […]

“Acquiesce”?

The Saturday Minnesota Star Tribune main headline was clear enough: “Dems acquiesce to prevent shutdown“. Anyone who follows national news has read/heard all about it, so no need to go into detail. Elsewhere on the front page were other headlines “U approves limits on faculty speech…Resolution gives president broad control over communications”; “So why the […]

Social Security A bit of history…et al

PRENOTE: If you think what is happening, won’t happen, or can’t happen, read this at your leisure. It seems a good time to remember Social Security by re-presenting some history through some brief personal recollections, as well as some documentary ‘evidence’ as provided to a covered worker – myself – in 1992 and 2001. It […]

Department of Education

PRENOTE: Most of this post was written before the forced evacuation of the Department of Education.  I knew no details.  At some point I will file a second, dated, postnote. * Today began the ritual “killing” of the U.S. Department of Education, established as a separate department of the Government in 1980, and now 65 […]

Garrison Keillor

This has been a very long week.  I want to give a prelude to my own summary, by offering some observations by Garrison Keillor, who I first became acquainted with in 1977.  Keillor’s two most recent columns are here and here. I have a long affinity for Keillor’s work, beginning with the first time I […]

Aftermath

Today was day 45 of the first 100 days….  The dump has just begun.  The perpetrators can say, “don’t blame us. You were warned”.  But the first reaction is like being dumped on by an avalanche, or mud slide, or hit by a tsunami, earthquake or wildfire.  Until it happens, you don’t really expect it, […]

Respect and Perspective

10:40 p.m. March 4, 2025: I watched it all, near two hours, of #47’s speech to Congress; and then the approximately 10 minute Democrat response of Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan.  There is nothing new in the President’s script.  Sen. Slatkin’s response is on-line here, take the time to watch and listen, and especially make […]

Decency

Yesterday I planned to participate in the 24 hour vacation from American commerce.  I thought (and think) it a good idea, and publicized at least twice the ideas (listed in Feb 24 and 28 posts).  It’s now a day later and time for my personal report. My wife would attest, I think, that if the […]

February 28, 2025

Today is a suggested action day in the U.S.  There are many suggestions.  I’ll repost one I’ve received from a couple of directions at the end.  I plan to follow through with doing no business on Friday, period.  Every little bit…. On other fronts, for the weekend: There have been several interesting comments to the […]