Opinion

How much evidence do you need to vaporize a zombie?

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While “zombie ideas” isn’t a phrase you often see in farm publications, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman has popularized it to describe a uniquely American political condition.

Governor Bullock has spoken

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Governor Bullock has issued another edict. This time, it’s taking away your right to choose how you vote in the November general election.

School + pandemic = high anxiety

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As a longtime teacher who has heard every complaint under the sun about how horrible school is, how boring, arbitrary, irrelevant and unfair, I find myself somewhat taken aback by the fierce pressure to return to regular classroom instruction.

The post office is the symbol of the communities we live in

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I love the Post Office as much as I love the flag that flies over it. In every city or small town in Montana the American flag flies proudly over the buildings that house the oldest public service in America. It was founded in 1775 and Benjamin Franklin was its first postmaster. I do not understand the attacks on a public institution that is older than America, itself, whose people go the extra mile to deliver service promptly and pleasantly. The only objection I can fathom some people having against it is that it is not run by a private company, to which I say, “Good!”

I believe in our Postal Service and others do too

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I thought the day I discovered toilet paper missing from the shelves of the grocery store, the country had reached a level of absurdity I never thought possible. But now I am learning that people are messing with the United States Postal Service and I am reaching beyond absurd to find a word that describes how I feel.

Sin and pain lurk under the garbage of this world

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My heart was pounding with excited anticipation as we carefully planned out the details of the hunt. I had my trusty Red Rider BB gun and the BBs sloshed forward and back reassuring me that it was loaded. The plan was simple. Kyle would make his way through the garbage pile and pick out a good-sized piece of junk while I readied myself for the shot. We had been told that rats like garbage. We had a sizable pile of it behind the old grain shed that doubled as our fort. I had a brand-new BB gun that if used properly could take down a mean sparrow. What else could we ask for?

The third time might not be the charm

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It turns out that the old Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times,” is neither Chinese nor a curse.

Personal responsibility required to keep vulnerable citizens safe, economy open

Sheriffs take an oath to support, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the state of Montana. We will uphold our oath, protect public safety and respond to our shared constituency through open communication and education as we continue to face the public health risks of COVID-19.

USDA plays Hunger Games during COVID-19

Glendive farmer Dena Hoff has her freezer stocked with meat from animals born, raised and processed on her own property. But she has to turn away neighbors who ask about buying some. Federal regulations forbid the sale of meat processed anywhere except government-approved plants with round-the-clock inspectors.

How well this generation does depends on us

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Years ago the Coca Cola company had a Christmas advertisement. A choir of rosy-cheeked children holding candles would sing, “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony…”. You can’t miss with kids, Christmas good will and a choir, but somehow, no matter how much we devoutly wish for peace, it never comes quite as we would like. And “perfect harmony”, well, not in this lifetime.

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