Opinions

Sabra and I attended the annual party for West Branch Communications, the company that publishes this newspaper as well as eight other weekly rags.
I use the word “rag” affectionately. Publisher Jake Krob has done an excellent job of keeping the editorial quality up and the bottom line black on all of his endeavors. This is not an easy task. The editions and mastheads in the archives are proof. Many people have tried and failed at threading all the needles it takes to keep a small community newspaper afloat. Few make it but Krob is one that did.

It’s Tuesday night and the national news is on television.
In the past 24 hours, President Donald Trump has:
• Pulled the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). While not everyone agrees that the trade agreement helps the U.S. economically, almost everyone agrees the TPP includes the most robust enforceable environment commitments of any trade agreement in history. It also prohibits exploitative child labor and forced labor.

Mark March 4 on your calendar and join me in celebrating the World Champion Chicago Cubs at the Frida Kahlo Mexican Restaurant, 101 Windflower Ln., Solon (off of Hwy. 1, south edge of town) from 7 to 9 p.m.
Kevin “BF” Burt is lined up to play. Goat tacos will be served for the first 100 attendees, as well as a beer selected by brew master and friend Jeff Allen to match. If the keg spits we’ll pass the hat and buy another. Put on your favorite Cub gear and be prepared to sing “Go Cubs Go.” Everyone is invited; especially Cardinal fans.

From the icy climes of the oil pipeline protest camp of Standing Rock, North Dakota, this week’s column finds us in sunny and hot Playacar, Mexico, or as I refer to it, the land of the endless buffet.
An alert reader may ask, how can you, as an environmental activist, travel so far for pleasure? Aren’t you worried about the ozone? The polar bears? Florida? Life as we know it?

The worst meetings it was ever my misfortune to attend were run by a “light” colonel. As editor of the post’s newspaper I was expected to be in the room but was never sure why. I was in good company as there were another dozen in the same boat: we were ordered to attend. What I was sure of was that the colonel ran a meeting that was as long as it was worthless. Any topic could be picked apart including sports and soap operas. Nothing was ever decided even if it took all morning to get there.