The Cheap Seats

Life is full of winners. And over the course of the next two weeks in London, a lot of winners will be crowned. Besides the Olympics, there are winners of the Oscar, the Emmy, the Golden Globes and the Tony. People also win Pulitzers, Peabodys, and Peace prizes (Nobel, that is). We hand out awards for Car of the Year, Man/Woman of the Year, Teacher of the Year, even Horse of the Year. There are MVP's, Most Improved, Heisman Trophy winners, All-Pros, All-Stars and Hall of Famers. And, life also has its share of losers. Variously, there are runners-up, consolation winners, Miss Congenialities, also-rans, cellar dwellers, "nice guys" and those "just happy to be nominated". People are obsessed with listing things too. The media ranks the sexiest man/woman, the best and worst dressed, not to mention list after list of of the best movies, songs, bands and singers of all time. And don't forget the best places to live, raise children, work, eat and visit. T...

When I was young, I loftily dreamed of being President one day. It was a dream that had evolved from reading the biographies of leaders like Franklin Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln and John Kennedy. The books were written in an heroic fashion - leaving out any real humanity - instead focusing on these Presidents' ability to inspire Americans long after their deaths. Nonetheless, these youthful impressions left their mark on me. Of course adulthood has a way of brushing aside childhood dreams, bringing a measure of reality to our worlds. Which is as it should be. After all, if all of our childhood dreams were realized the world would be overpopulated with firemen, cowboys, professional athletes, dancers, diva singers, actresses and Presidents. But, thanks to Rep. Michelle Bachmann from Minnesota's 6th Congressional District, I have decided to dust off my naive childhood dream and make it a reality. In fact, Ms. Bachmann has renewed my belief that entry into the h...

If anyone was wondering whether or not it is an election year, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada has answered that question.   In what can  only be considered a jingoistic, flag-waiving effort, Senator Reid recently expressed his outrage that the United States Olympic team's official uniforms (designed by Ralph Lauren) were made in China. “I am so upset,” Reid told reporters Thursday. “I think the Olympic Committee should be ashamed of themselves. I think they should be embarrassed. I think they should take all the uniforms and put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again.” If this is truly what you would like to do Senator Reid, then there are a few other items made in China that I think you might want to add to the pile: All of your electronic gadgets: cell phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, televisions and GPS devices. Toss 'em in - I'm sure they're flammable (or inflammable, both words mean the same thing ...

Two summers ago, my children and I took a scenic vacation to South Dakota. In six short days we saw just about everything the Black Hills had to offer - four dead Presidents, one Indian chief, Lands that were Bad, Drugs on the Wall, a Cave of Jewels, a Country of Bears and Ice Age woolly mammoths just for good measure. A memorable experience so full of eye candy that many images are still fixed clearly in my mind - an idyllic road trip. This summer's vacation is completely different - and has a dual purpose. In mid-August we will be in the Windy City - Chicago. Cubs tickets and transit passes have been purchased. A short list of "places to see and things to do" has been roughed out. We are going to engross ourselves in the urban experience, which will mean no driving allowed - public transportation only for five days. The only thing we will leave unpacked is our comfort zone. That will be left behind, back in the Twin Cities. The primary ...

As we approach our nation's 236th birthday, I am reminded of one of the most humbling encounters of my life. As a social studies teacher at Osceola Middle School, I annually coordinate our Veterans' Day program. During the summer of 2003, I had the incredible luck to come into contact with a World War II veteran named Herbert Suerth. After a brief conversation, Mr. Suerth agreed to be the guest speaker at our Fall program. In preparation for his address, Mr. Suerth and I had two interview-style phone conversations. What follows is the result of those conversations. Herbert Suerth was a member of the 101st Airborne, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment - Easy Company - that fought against Nazi Germany during World War II. Easy Company's exploits were told in the best-selling book and seen in the HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers". Herb Suerth was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1924. Although a child of the Depression Era, he planned to attend Marquette Universit...