Is Donald Trump an unhinged menace to society? Or is he a responsible president, well equipped to deal with complex geopolitical issues? The former is the correct and obvious choice. But Democrats on the Hill are straddling both options — simultaneously telling their constituents the former, while passing policy that indicates they believe the latter. … Continue reading Which Is It?
I took advantage of a free schedule yesterday with a trip to Stillwater, Minnesota. After breakfast at Oasis Cafe (highly recommended) and a stop in Valley Bookseller (also recommended), my friend and I decided to make the 30-mile drive north to Taylors Falls. The little town across the river from Wisconsin boasts some pretty challenging … Continue reading Color and Monochrome in Taylors Falls
Ta-Nehisi Coates follows up his blockbuster article from The Atlantic with an equally stellar conversation with Chris Hayes on MSNBC. The point should be made again and again: white supremacy is not a club which requires a card for membership. White supremacy is a pervasive mode of operation that has poisoned American politics and society from the start, … Continue reading A More Expansive and Accurate Definition of White Supremacy
Remember protesting bedtime? As a kid, I fought my parents on every insistence that I just go to sleep. Though it was literally critical for my health (I got massive migraines as a child when I didn't get enough rest), the prospect of shutting off the lights and closing my eyes when there was so … Continue reading My Childish Sleeping Habits
There has been another flare up in the never-ending hellscape that is Bernie vs. Hillary Twitter. The fight du jour revolves around an article by Ryan Cooper for The Week: Why leftists don't trust Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and Deval Patrick. In the article, Cooper lists some key positions each of the aforementioned politicians have taken that … Continue reading Economic and Racial Justice Must Go Hand-In-Hand
Joe Flint and Deepa Seetharaman in The Wall Street Journal today reported that Facebook plans to begin producing original, "TV-quality shows" by as soon as late summer 2017. In meetings with major talent agencies including Creative Artists Agency, United Talent Agency, William Morris Endeavor and ICM Partners, Facebook has indicated it is willing to commit to production … Continue reading Facebook To Join the Film Foray
I'm back! First, some personal news: On June 2, at approximately 5:30 p.m., I married the love of my life in Lyons, Colorado. It was a perfect wedding and I can't thank everyone who made it that way enough. We don't have photos yet, but I'll post a few here when we get them. Leading … Continue reading Facing My Fear of Faces
I left work around noon today to enjoy the overdue spring weather in St. Paul. I biked home, read a book in the park, and finally grabbed my camera to stroll around Lowertown without a subject in mind. Before long I got a decent silhouette, so I decided to focus on capturing more profiles and … Continue reading Profiles + Silhouettes
Coincidentally, today Minnesota's twin daily newspapers ran stories on life after prison. One had a happy (or at least hopeful) ending; the other, not so much. In the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Andy Mannix covers the "Second Chances 5K"—a race for current and former inmates aimed at emphasizing that many people "still have something to offer society" … Continue reading Two Stories of Life After Prison in Minnesota
One of the first beginner photography blog posts I read when I got my camera had this very simple tip: Keep your camera with you all the time. It's a mantra that shows up consistently. I haven't been the best at living up to this maxim—I still find it awkward at times to have my … Continue reading One Shot
