“Aristocrats don’t notice philosophical conundra. They just ignore them. Philosophy includes contemplating the possibility that you might be wrong, sir, and a real aristocrat knows that he is always right. It’s not vanity, you understand, it’s built-in absolute certainty. They may sometimes be as mad as a hatful of spoons,[Read More…]
Columns
April Fool’s Day
The origin of April Fool’s Day is not really known. In 18th century Britain, there was a two-day event that encouraged many of the jokes and pranks we still use for our April Fool’s Day. The first day was “Hunting the Gowk,” in which people were sent all over on[Read More…]
First bill signed into law
One of the top concerns that I hear from constituents is education, and as a former teacher myself, I have seen firsthand the state of our underfunded education system. In our rural schools, we struggle to fill open positions. The greatest impact of these open positions is on the students.[Read More…]
EDITOR: Don’t do their dirty work for them
I was a bit unnerved last weekend to receive what appeared to be a letter to the editor that opened with a mildly snarky comment about local media’s failure to do its job of covering voting records and closed with a decidedly snarky comment about newspaper editors. I was unnerved[Read More…]
Brands, Part 2: The story of Duncan Blair
These three brands were owned in 1886 by Duncan (Dunk) Blair in the White River area. Duncan was a member of the White River Stock Growers Association. The origin of the square and compass symbols can be found in several ancient civilizations including Egypt. The square and the compass were[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: No surprises
“How ya winterin’?” one would be sure to be asked during this transitional season, as spring approached in the middle of a particularly sudden, fierce, snowstorm. Folks, both in town and out in the country, often used this as an excuse to get back to having a little conversation after[Read More…]
EDITOR’S COLUMN: Happy Sunshine Week!
“The truth does not mind being questioned;a lie does not like being challenged.” ~ Unknown It’s “Sunshine Week” across the nation — a time to recognize the importance of freedom of information and the public’s right-to-know what its elected and appointed officials are doing and why. In the United States,[Read More…]
Let’s talk about mental health
RBC | We need to do more to support our communities struggling with mental health. We need to talk about mental health and end the stigma around asking for help. We need to fund our behavioral health services to ensure no one in our state spends months on a waiting[Read More…]
Part 1: What’s in a brand?
Just a few months after moving to Meeker, Tracy and I were at a barbecue downtown, sitting under a tent. A native recognized us as newbies and started a conversation. Tracy was describing the colorful garden she had left in Westminster. Our host told us not to plant annuals in[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Calm and reasonable exchange must resume
Families attempting to go back to their “same-old, same-old” weekly routines by juggling school and work routines are struggling. Faced with ever-changing schedules during this post-pandemic stage, all aspects of our community are reeling. The rise in number of incidents including verbal abuse in public gatherings is spiking again. Over[Read More…]
EDITOR’S COLUMN: Taxes
“The hardest thing in the world to understand is income tax.” ~ Albert Einstein That little snippet from an actual genius made me feel better about my efforts to fill out my tax forms this year. I gave up halfway through and handed the task over to Caitlin. It may[Read More…]
Guest Column: Wild camels
The Meeker Herald Feb. 18, 1899, edition reported: “The last wild camel in the United States died the other day. While full particulars of the event are not at hand, it is probable death was caused by the last straw breaking his back.” I am not quite sure how much[Read More…]
