Keweenaw Now sends wishes for a very blessed and happy Christmas to all our readers! (Image: Postcard circa 1900)
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Christmas wishes from Keweenaw Now
Keweenaw Now sends wishes for a very blessed and happy Christmas to all our readers! (Image: Postcard circa 1900)
Friday, December 24, 2010
Midnight Poet: Christmas Light
By Mick McKellar*
I have walked abroad on Christmas night, and in the silence of the cold, felt the warmth of brilliant lights gleaming from windows and rooftops, as they twinkled on freshly fallen snow. Shuffling my boots through several inches of winter white made little or no noise and the sighing of a whispering breeze through pines and between houses took over, singing a carol that coldly caressed my face and hands. The touch of snowflakes on my face felt like the feather touch of Christmas lights reaching out to welcome my spirit and warm my soul. I felt I could fly, borne aloft on lights alone.
Alas, Christmas walkabout will remain only a memory this year, as we can't have old Mick tottering about in the snow after dark. Yet, were I to fly home, I would love that it be on a crisp, cold Christmas night and that I be carried home on the red and green and golden beams that break from a thousand gleaming windows on the eve of peace and love.
Christmas Light
Through all the piercing cold and precious chill,
And all a winter's night of silence beamed,
The wondrous warmth and distant twinkling thrill,
Of lights all red and green and gold, which gleamed
Upon the road ahead's unbroken white.
Snow softly silenced footsteps as he tread,
And gazed at icy darkness, pierced by light
That danced upon his path, as forward lead
He felt the ancient night of love embrace,
His heart and spirit dancing in his chest;
And with the Christmas lights upon his face,
He softly flew home to his blessed rest.
*Editor's Note: Guest poet Elwin "Mick" McKellar is a free-lance writer and resident of Laurium, Michigan. To read more of his work, visit his blog, "Out of my mind," at http://mickmckellar.blogspot.com/. The above text is reprinted with permission.
I have walked abroad on Christmas night, and in the silence of the cold, felt the warmth of brilliant lights gleaming from windows and rooftops, as they twinkled on freshly fallen snow. Shuffling my boots through several inches of winter white made little or no noise and the sighing of a whispering breeze through pines and between houses took over, singing a carol that coldly caressed my face and hands. The touch of snowflakes on my face felt like the feather touch of Christmas lights reaching out to welcome my spirit and warm my soul. I felt I could fly, borne aloft on lights alone.
Alas, Christmas walkabout will remain only a memory this year, as we can't have old Mick tottering about in the snow after dark. Yet, were I to fly home, I would love that it be on a crisp, cold Christmas night and that I be carried home on the red and green and golden beams that break from a thousand gleaming windows on the eve of peace and love.
Christmas Light
Through all the piercing cold and precious chill,
And all a winter's night of silence beamed,
The wondrous warmth and distant twinkling thrill,
Of lights all red and green and gold, which gleamed
Upon the road ahead's unbroken white.
Snow softly silenced footsteps as he tread,
And gazed at icy darkness, pierced by light
That danced upon his path, as forward lead
He felt the ancient night of love embrace,
His heart and spirit dancing in his chest;
And with the Christmas lights upon his face,
He softly flew home to his blessed rest.
*Editor's Note: Guest poet Elwin "Mick" McKellar is a free-lance writer and resident of Laurium, Michigan. To read more of his work, visit his blog, "Out of my mind," at http://mickmckellar.blogspot.com/. The above text is reprinted with permission.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Letter to Mining Journal: Changes are coming
By Thomas Polkinghorne, Champion
Posted Dec. 19, 2010
MARQUETTE -- To the Journal editor:
I take exception to County Board Chairman Gerald Corkin's comments reported in The Mining Journal on Oct. 19. Corkin stated opponents "later opposed the Woodland Road, designed as an alternative. Now they oppose the alternative to the alternative."
Corkin wants us to believe people opposed everything. The fact is, the "alternative" is nearly a twin to the original Woodland Road.
In addition, no evidence was given by the road commission that they considered any other route. A thinking, functioning board would have displayed all of the proposed routes and discussed with the public the pros and cons of each. ... Read more in the Marquette Mining Journal.
Editor's Note: Thomas Polkinghorne of Champion, author of this letter, and County Commissioner Gerald Corkin are both quoted in our Oct. 25, 2010, article, "Opponents of proposed 'public' mine haul road call for more public input."
Posted Dec. 19, 2010
MARQUETTE -- To the Journal editor:
I take exception to County Board Chairman Gerald Corkin's comments reported in The Mining Journal on Oct. 19. Corkin stated opponents "later opposed the Woodland Road, designed as an alternative. Now they oppose the alternative to the alternative."
Corkin wants us to believe people opposed everything. The fact is, the "alternative" is nearly a twin to the original Woodland Road.
In addition, no evidence was given by the road commission that they considered any other route. A thinking, functioning board would have displayed all of the proposed routes and discussed with the public the pros and cons of each. ... Read more in the Marquette Mining Journal.
Editor's Note: Thomas Polkinghorne of Champion, author of this letter, and County Commissioner Gerald Corkin are both quoted in our Oct. 25, 2010, article, "Opponents of proposed 'public' mine haul road call for more public input."
Monday, December 20, 2010
From Mining Journal: Professors, knowledge and the politics of mining
[Editor's Note: Here is an excerpt and a link to the Dec. 19, 2010, opinion from Jon Saari, retired Northern Michigan University (NMU) professor, published in the Marquette Mining Journal.]
By Jon Saari
MARQUETTE -- ...In recent years, the mining controversy in our region has drawn NMU faculty into its vortex. At least five faculty members (three retired, including this writer) have been active opponents of the Eagle Project on the Yellow Dog Plains, while a number of others have seen it as an opportunity for professional research, even collaboration with a new multinational mining corporation.
Such diverse reactions are to be expected in an academic subculture of free thinkers and professional entrepreneurs.
But one recent collaboration between two NMU faculty members and Kennecott Eagle Mineral Company has a number of observers raising their eyebrows.... Read more on the Marquette Mining Journal.
By Jon Saari
MARQUETTE -- ...In recent years, the mining controversy in our region has drawn NMU faculty into its vortex. At least five faculty members (three retired, including this writer) have been active opponents of the Eagle Project on the Yellow Dog Plains, while a number of others have seen it as an opportunity for professional research, even collaboration with a new multinational mining corporation.
Such diverse reactions are to be expected in an academic subculture of free thinkers and professional entrepreneurs.
But one recent collaboration between two NMU faculty members and Kennecott Eagle Mineral Company has a number of observers raising their eyebrows.... Read more on the Marquette Mining Journal.
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