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People are now being told to avoid labelling of any kind whatsoever. Discrimination is always bad. Not being able to describe things can also be bad. The “woke” movement preaches that some people are “awake” and enlightened about social injustice. If you are “not woke” then you are obviously inferior and despicable in the eyes of “woke” people. Concerns about these trends are paradoxically not tolerated. Medical school students used to be taught to identify and describe patients we were trying to take care of. For example, while describin...
Disneyland has removed the phrase “zip-a-dee-doo-dah” from the music of its parades due to concerns about racial sensitivity. Disney made the change due to the phrase’s origin in the 1946 film “Song of the South,” which has long been criticized for its idealistic portrayal of the post-war South. This was probably one of the most fun and happy songs in animation history. Apparently, for reasons I don’t understand, the following words are now felt to be racist: “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay. My, oh my, what a wonderful day. Plenty of sun...
I am a physician who has worked in this region since 1986. I look at the local newspapers, browse the headlines, but admit that I do not read the details of most articles. After I read a prominently featured submission, entitled “Middle-class politeness” in the Sidney Herald newspaper (dated 1/22/23), however, I felt compelled to respond. It irritated me that Jim Elliott (from the far western part of Montana), the author of that article, took former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich’s words from 1978 completely out of context. The autho...
Is democracy going to fail? Experts have predicted that in the past, and now it seems more likely than ever. The Constitution was signed on Sept. 17, 1787. The relevance of this document is at risk of becoming irrelevant, and the American form of government, as we know it may become unrecognizable in the future. There are many examples of concerning changes that are underway. The border is no longer being defended. Illegal immigrants are being encouraged to come here (for cheap labor and purchased voter loyalty). A massive $1.9 trillion bill...
It has become increasingly obvious that the Bicoastal and D.C “elites” despise Middle America. Unfortunately, they are now the policy makers for the whole country. President Biden seems obliged to appease the elites at the expense of the rest of the country. Biden has signed a record number of 37 executive orders in the first week in office. His inner circle of advisors no doubt wrote his executive orders, and they effectively dismantled the recent accomplishments of conservatives. So much for the claim Biden that he was going to be a mod...
Many of you may not remember who “Dr Dirt” was. I am an Internal Medicine physician who has worked in this area since 1986. I took a sabbatical from medicine for several years. I have been back in medicine for over six years, doing what I was always meant to do. During my sabbatical I ran a small landscaping business with my three sons. I did a variety of other things as well. I wrote a weekly newspaper column for “The Roundup” for five years that was entitled “Dr Dirt.” After reading the obituary on the legendary Russ Wells and attending his m...
The determinants of success and failure in life are complex. People who have had advantages in life are more likely to succeed, and people who have not had these advantages are more likely to fail. The seeming inevitability of this trend is depressing. Is there no remedy to this situation? This question is more than just theoretical in nature. When I was doing my premed studies and getting a psychology degree at the University of Minnesota (before I went to medical school) I took a lot of classes that said a person’s behavior was determined o...
Everybody knows that life has ups and downs. Life sometimes seems to have too much pain and misfortune. Hundreds of books have been written about the subject – dating back to Old Testament times. We still do not understand why people have to suffer. I will try to briefly discuss the medical, religious, and psychological aspects of this topic. It is a subject I can relate to (medically and personally), have researched at length, but certainly do not have all the answers. A large amount of physical pain is actually useful. If you didn’t feel pain...
It is time to celebrate another Father’s Day. We should honor our fathers, but that doesn’t always happen. At this time of the year I reflect on what it was like when I was a kid, and what it was like between me and my dad. Of course I loved my dad, but when I was a kid I couldn’t believe how many things he did not know. He was a good dad and a good husband to my mother. He tried his best to provide for us as well as he could. He worked hard. He made just enough money to support his family of ten – providing he worked several part time jobs in...
Father Edward "Ned" Shinnick was diagnosed in January 2015 with esophageal cancer. The diagnostic workup and treatment (chemotherapy, radiation, and possible surgery) have been expensive, and have taken their toll on his legendary vitality. He is bravely dealing with this issue. He has appreciated all of your prayers and concerns. As you know, he has been a dedicated servant to the regional church community (Catholics and other churches) and has been a strong force for "community building"...
Father Edward “Ned” Shinnick was diagnosed in January 2015 with esophageal cancer. The diagnostic workup and treatment (chemotherapy, radiation, and possible surgery) have been expensive, and have taken their toll on his legendary vitality. He is bravely dealing with this issue. He has appreciated all of your prayers and concerns. As you know, he has been a dedicated servant to the regional church community (Catholics and other churches) and has been a strong force for “community building” since his arrival here from Ireland in 1956. In 2016...
Spring is officially here. Most people don’t get into the springtime mood, however, until they hear the birds chirping, feel the warmth of sunshine in their face, bite into a hotdog while cheering on their favorite baseball team, and – most importantly – see nature’s panoply of greens and other colors around them. This past winter was incredibly mild. There was neither bitter cold nor significant snowfall. On a physical level, we didn’t have much to complain about. We suffered through other kinds of difficulties, however. We have had a record...
