Columns

Picture this, you are like sitting with a group of like your friends and you start to pick up on like this pattern of saying like. But like why do we say like so much?  Starting in the 1850s, the word “like” made its appearance more frequently in literature - a trend that continued steadily until the 1950s.  That’s when “like” was picked up by the young and rebellious Beat Generation. Members of this Silent Generation counterculture movement introduced the word into their speech repetitively to symbolize their affiliation to the broader group. Using “like” became rather ubiquitous and subsequently aspired as shorthand or a stereotype in...

Montana has been discovered. We were the second-fastest-growing state in the country last year. Our rapidly increasing population presents many challenges and opportunities, and it’s also driving a lot of unease among many of us who’ve lived here for a long time.  Whether you love it or h...

This is the year Montanans celebrate the 50th anniversary of our nation’s first citizen-initiated wilderness, the Scapegoat, and our first new constitution since 1889 statehood that guarantees each of us the right to a clean and healthful environment, a safeguard not explicitly provided for in the Unit...

In the last year, I’ve been working on appreciation. Appreciating the big things. Appreciating the small things. Appreciating what I have and what I am. As part of that, I’ve been practicing appreciation of one of the most basic, most taken for granted and one of the most awesome things we all...

Linoleum. What comes to mind? Old plastic-y flooring that lasts forever? The floors of schools, offices, airports? Perhaps you even “showcase” linoleum in your bathroom or kitchen. Many decades ago, this flooring was an extremely popular choice with colorful, bold designs. While linoleum or &ldqu...

The North Lake County Public Library is celebrating “Library Lover’s Month” all February long with 25% off in our gift nook and our annual Adopt-a-Book program. For a $15 donation you get to choose from a selection of children’s books and write a personalized note that will be placed ...

We’ve all heard the quip, “how do you know when a politician is lying?” Answer: His lips are moving. But there’s another obvious question that begs an obvious answer. Why do politicians lie? Answer: Because they can. The American media – or what could once be legitim...

During the holiday, all of us at Shodair were amazed and thankful for the support and donations we received from the community to make the holidays special for patients in our care. As a father I know how magical this time of year is to children, and the amazing team at Shodair works hard to create a compara...

Most of us love a good bargain. Price plays perhaps the biggest role in purchasing decisions across nearly all domains. Nowhere is this more evident than in the fashion and apparel industry where many brick-and-mortar stores have been subject to a financial pummeling in the last decade. This “retail ap...

Our rights to not have our property or persons searched or seized without a warrant, to not be harassed by the government without good reason, and to conduct our own peaceful affairs with minimal intrusion are increasingly challenged by new technology. Our smartphones track our every movement, many personal ...