Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is not only a billionaire – he’s also an extremely generous philanthropist, a global visionary and a myth-buster. In this day and age, when we hear so much about greedy Wall Street crooks and irresponsible corporate plunderers, it’s refreshing to read about someone like Gates – a rich man with a global conscience who puts his
Parental ghosts pop up for sweet revenge
When my bloated gas bill arrived the other day, I just about fainted. “Well, (expletive deleted)!” I said out loud in a clenched-teeth growl. “Just can’t win! They gotcha comin’, they gotcha goin.’ It’s one thing after another. What next?!” At that moment, I felt as if I’d been struck my lightning. In that flash, I knew my dead Dad
Should pot be legalized? Keep an eye on Colorado
Seeing sweet grannies and grandpas lining up in Colorado to buy marijuana is like something out of a futuristic movie comedy. Can this really be happening? Yes, indeed, it can and it is. There are long lines of people of every age ever since Colorado legalized marijuana, which went into effect Jan. 1. The grandpas and grannies standing in those
Did Christie cause his own roadblock?
It’s baffling how New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s governing style and personality traits are viewed as despicable by some and admirable by others. Christie’s fans describe him as being confident, forthright, decisive and for “telling it like it is.” His detractors, based on those same traits, interpret them as being arrogant, rude, hot-headed, nasty and bullying. As they say, one
Living through a power failure
Recently we experienced a power failure. That’s not unusual, but at the same time some workers in our condominium complex accidentally cut off our water. At the time our washer was going as was our dishwasher. One of our bathrooms was in use also. So there we sat, staring at each other. I was immediately overcome by the silence of
Newspapers look forward to more story ideas in 2014
We hope our readers enjoyed a trip down Memory Lane last week when we published some of the many highlights in our 2013 Year in Review for both the Sartell and St. Joseph Newsleaders. The reporters who compiled those summaries were both amazed by how many good changes and how many interesting people contributed to life in those two cities,
2014 should bring minimum-wage boosts
It’s good to see what appears to be a renewed commitment to the topic of income inequality throughout this nation, including a passionate vow by newly elected Gov. Bill DeBlasio in New York City. President Barack Obama and Pope Francis also weighed in on the topic. The president said ” . . . a dangerous and growing inequality and lack
Legislators deserve scorn for assault against the poor
It is to be hoped our legislators, especially Tea Party Republicans, during their at-home recess, hear howls of righteous outrage from good citizens Coast to Coast in this nation. Republicans in the U.S. Congress refused to extend unemployment benefits to 1.3 million American workers, who were hung out to dry right after Christmas. Talk about Scrooge and lumps of coal