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Magic City whinery and how technology governs us

When I first moved to Minot, I did what most new arrivals do and subscribed to a variety of local social media pages and groups. Naturally, the infamous Minot Whiners and Complainers 2.0 page was amongst them, and since coming to work at the paper, it’s often how I check in with my fellow Minoters about their concerns and whether those loud bangs I heard in the night were gunshots or fireworks. Naturally, like most of the people on the page, I often wind up slurping up all the spilled tea more than anything else. It basically serves the same function as a North Dakota bar in a ...

Today is National Rosie the Riveter Day

March 21st is National Rosie the Riveter Day, a day to celebrate and recognize the part American women played in America’s WWII victory. Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon of World War II. She was based on a real person, but represented the millions of women who went to work in factories, lumber and steel mills, shipyards, and wherever needed during the war to support the war effort. With 12 percent of the population in military service, and every able-bodied man needed to fight the war, the nation needed warm bodies to fill vacated jobs in production, transportation, ...

The war on everything

I celebrated my thirty-third trip around the sun last week, and as a gift I was given the funds to purchase a shiny new toy that I have been lusting after for some time, Valve’s portable gaming PC the Steam Deck. Undaunted by the reality of finally having to learn the ins and outs of whatever Linux is, I pulled the trigger on the order, but found myself blocked by my financial institution. Not because the money wasn’t on hand, but rather because their fraud department had thought it strange that I would be buying one. I called customer support, assuring them it was in fact me ...

ND’s oil tax money belongs to everybody

Dear Legislator: According to the newspapers I see you are still in Bismarck trying to sort through all of the money that has come to the state through oil taxes. As a former State Budget Director and Tax Commissioner, I am somewhat familiar with state finances so I am qualified to talk with you about revenue. First, we must concede that the oil tax is not an ordinary one. It is a temporary windfall that is different than sales taxes, income taxes and property taxes in that North Dakota taxpayers contributed nothing to it. This tells us that it must be credited to the people of ...

Proper role of legislators is representing constituents

Putting all partisanship aside, we should appreciate the efforts of the legislature to do two years of business in 80 days. It could be done more effectively if it used the flexible method proposed in the 1970 constitutional convention.  Under the convention plan, the 80 days could be used for committee work or research at various times throughout the biennium. Because this is a “citizen” legislature, it would mean some inconveniences for some legislators who benefit from the biennial rush, like going south every other year. Ten states have full-time legislators but this is ...

Oil and natural gas: Powerhouse for ND’s economy

Results of the most recent NDSU economic impact study are in and to no surprise, the oil and natural gas industry continues to be a major force in North Dakota’s economy. Nowhere is that more apparent than at the 2023 legislative session. Taxes paid by the oil and gas industry account for over half of all taxes collected each year by the state. The billions of dollars this industry pays every year are helping fund everything from education to road construction to flood control to tax relief. And the impact of the taxes and royalties paid by our industry touches every corner of our ...