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The place of morals in life

Morals and living a moral life are needed to have a successful life. Morals can be a strong contributor to making the best,correct decisions. What are morals? By the book, morals are what is right and what is wrong. It is an understanding of what is good or bad behavior. They contribute to living a healthy civilized life. If we all live a life that includes morals, maybe then we could live together productively and peacefully. Instead of fighting, we could be kind and honest with each other, and be useful contributors to society. How do psychologists tend to look at morals? ...

School officials lose trust over reductions

If a person were to attend, or watch on local TV the Marshall School District board meetings, one of the first items every time is an open forum. While the board specifically states that no action will be taken, they are there to “listen to what is brought up” during this open forum time. After watching the last two meetings, I am wondering why this item is even on the agenda? Indeed, they allow community members, staff, and others to present ideas, suggestions or maybe even dialog that they have had with the schools. Specifically in watching the last two meetings there have been ...

An ancestral surprise

The results of a recent genetic test shook me to the core. It seems that I’m not who I thought I was. Some years ago, I sent a spit sample to 23andMe. The test revealed, unsurprisingly, that I’m 100% Norwegian. All my ancestors came from Norway; the test simply confirmed that I’m the whitest guy on the planet. The folks at Ancestry.com recently ran a promotion for their genetic testing. I’ve been working on our family tree at Ancestry.com and thought it would be interesting to know if there were any hidden connections in my genetic past. My Viking ancestors spread their ...

Minnesota in center of the news universe

We spent time in southern California. I could write about walking along beaches, warm sunsets, and missing bitter cold back here. Perhaps I will. But today, I must join my voice to the resistance. What is happening to fellow human beings, sometimes for no offense other than having dark skin is horrific, indefensible, and wrong on a thousand levels. Much is being said and written. Perhaps it is prideful of me to think the voice of one old farmer in Brown County matters. For what it’s worth, I must join the protesters and say, “This is wrong.” “Obama deported people, too.” ...

City work continues in the year ahead

As we embark on a new year, City Council and city staff have already begun their work on ensuring that projects and city operations continue to serve the public well. Here are some of the city’s priorities for 2026: Completion of The Splash, the city’s new aquatic center that is currently being constructed, is a top priority for this year. The city has made great progress with the pools and slides as well as mechanical and concession building construction. We will await the spring thaw to fully complete the pool area foundation with concrete and ensure that all mechanical features ...

Keep heart health as top of mind this February

February is American Heart Month, a time for everyone to think about their own heart health and prevention. Heart disease is the number 1 killer in America, and has been for a century. Almost 50% of Americans have at least one of three key risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol or smoking, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Heart disease prevention is for everyone, and it begins at your yearly checkup. At this appointment, your primary care provider will note important measures that can indicate possible cardiovascular ...