Artemis aims for giant leaps over Apollo

From the column: “In addition to greater diversity, the Artemis program has a broader scope than the Apollo program. Artemis plans to use the moon as a stepping stone to Mars.”

Opinion by Dave Berger

December 10, 2022 at 11:14 AM. Duluth News Tribune

When I was 9 years old, a half century ago, I was a Cub Scout. The highlight of that year was EXPO ’72 at the Minneapolis Auditorium on Saturday, Dec. 2, 1972. Scouts from all over the state displayed a variety of exhibits at that event.

The booths included a model volcano, an electric arc, and a perpetual motion machine. My favorite exhibit was that of the Apollo 17 lunar mission, which was scheduled to lift off just four days after the expo. This detailed display included models of the Saturn V rocket, the command module (“America”), the lunar module (“Challenger”), and the lunar rover.

Information included in this exhibit indicated that Apollo 17 would be our last lunar mission. After discovering this, I asked my parents if I could stay up late to watch the launch, just after the “Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour” on CBS-TV. Unfortunately, the liftoff was delayed by a few hours because of a hardware problem, and I was unceremoniously sent off to bed. Sigh.

Being a steadfast persistent junior astronaut, however, I snuck down to quietly watch the launch on our black-and-white television in our living room. Apollo 17 looked monumental during its takeoff that Wednesday, Dec. 6, 1972, at 11:33 p.m. I remember how powerful the rocket seemed, with smoke and fire billowing from launch pad 39-A at Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida.

Almost 50 years later, I watched the Artemis 1 lift off on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, at 12:47 a.m. Instead of watching this lunar mission launch in black and white on grainy analog network broadcast television, I watched it in color on the streaming internet feed at NASA.gov .

Just like Apollo 17, Artemis 1 was launched from Kennedy Space Center, but this time from launch pad 39-B. The two liftoffs were separated by almost 50 years, but they had many similarities. Both countdowns had delays, both missions followed many of the same procedures, and both were quite successful.

While there are many similarities between the lunar Apollo and Artemis programs, there are distinct differences as well. Apollo was the Greek and Roman god of archery, associated with the sun, while Artemis was the Greek goddess of archery and the hunt associated with the moon. Apollo and Artemis are fraternal twins born of Zeus and Leto and considered by many as being opposite sides of the same coin.

These two lunar programs had vastly different first missions. Apollo 1 was a crewed mission with Command Pilot Gus Grissom, Senior Pilot Ed White, and Pilot Roger B. Chaffee. On Jan. 27, 1967, during a launch rehearsal, a cabin fire caused by faulty wiring raced through the oxygen-rich environment, killing all three astronauts.

Learning a lesson from Apollo 1, NASA decided to make Artemis 1 an uncrewed mission to safely test the new Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft. While Artemis 1 has had a successful launch and mission, so far, the rocket was so powerful that it damaged launch pad 39-B, blowing in its elevator doors. NASA will learn from this and make Artemis 2 a safer experience for the astronauts that will crew that mission in 2024.

The 24 Apollo astronauts who flew to the moon were all white males, 22 of them members of the military. The astronauts in the Artemis program were a much more representative group of our population. It is apropos that the Artemis program is named for a female god. Of the 18 astronauts currently in the Artemis program, nine are women and nine are people of color; only 11 are military members.

In addition to greater diversity, the Artemis program has a broader scope than the Apollo program. Artemis plans to use the moon as a stepping stone to Mars. With many more civilian scientists than Apollo, Artemis is the beginning of the human colonization of our solar system.

Dave Berger of Maple Grove, Minnesota, is a retired sociology professor, a freelance writer and author, and a regular contributor to the News Tribune Opinion page.

From whales to weddings, fictions make life fun

From the column: “Numerous websites … discuss whale watching in Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, and Lake Ontario. Some charter-boat companies even advertise whale-watching excursions!”

Opinion by Dave Berger – Duluth News Tribune

October 04, 2022 at 2:30 PM

Recently, I was taking a vacation with my family on the North Shore. One evening after a long day of hiking and sightseeing, I relaxed at our resort and noticed a curious painting in our condo. It was a beautiful woodblock painting by James Meyer entitled, “Whale Watching at Split Rock.” The painting depicts a person in a small boat watching a humpback whale breaching way above the surface of Lake Superior, just below Split Rock lighthouse.

I thought to myself, how can a marine salt-water mammal survive in freshwater? Well, they cannot. But that does not stop people from fantasizing about whale watching in the Great Lakes, apparently.

In fact, there are numerous websites on the internet that discuss whale watching in Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, and Lake Ontario. Some charter-boat companies even advertise whale-watching excursions! One Facebook site claims to be the home of the Lake Michigan Whale Migration Station on Beaver Island in the northern section of the lake.

Such fictions make life fun.

During my career in education, I encountered many fun fictions. A few years ago, for example, I bought a T-shirt from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, featuring a large football. It read, “EVERGREEN” and “UNDEFEATED SINCE 1967.” Of course, Evergreen has never had a football team, so has not lost a game after being founded in 1967!

Another of my favorite fictions is the faux University of Okoboji. It was created in 1975 by brothers who owned a clothing store in Milford, Iowa, to help increase sales. This school has an official seal that claims it was founded in 1878 in the Okoboji Lake area of northwestern Iowa. Over the years, the activities surrounding this fabricated university have grown. In addition to being able to choose from a large selection of University of Okoboji school-clothing apparel, it is also possible to take the “official” school-entrance exam online. One of my favorite tidbits is that KUOO Radio in Spirit Lake, Iowa, calls itself the official on-campus radio station and sponsors the annual football game between the University of Okoboji Fighting Phantoms and Notre Dame each Sept. 31. (September, of course, has only 30 days.)

A few months ago, two of my former students contacted me with a request to be their officiant for their marriage ceremony. The couple met in my class years ago and have been dating ever since. While I was honored to be asked to preside over the solemnization of their wedding vows, I told them I would have to do research to find out if it was legally possible.

I discovered I could become a wedding officiant if I received an ordination from a religious organization. A colleague of mine suggested the easiest path would be to get ordained by the Universal Life Church, or ULC, as he had done years ago. The ULC is the church that grants the largest number of ordinations online.

I proceeded to the ULC website and became an ordained minister in less than 10 minutes. The ULC was founded in 1962. In the last 60 years, it has ordained more than 20 million ministers, including Barbara Streisand, Benedict Cumberbatch, Lady Gaga, Adele, Sir Ian McKellen — and me.

To become an officiant with the state of Minnesota, I had to file a “Certificate of Filing for Marriage Officiant” with my county. The county required that I include “Credentials of Ministry” and a letter declaring my good standing from a religious organization. The ULC provided me with both documents.

As an ordained minister with the ULC who is officially registered with the state, I am now legally allowed to preside over wedding ceremonies. This is a case where fictions are so intertwined with reality that they become non-fictions.

My former students are far from being alone in having a friend or family member serve as their wedding officiant. According to The Knot wedding-planning website (theknot.com), 51% of couples had friends and family serve as their officiants in 2020, up from 37% in 2015.

On Labor Day this year I proudly officiated at a beautiful and elegant wedding ceremony for my former students at Como Park Conservatory in St. Paul.

Dave Berger of Plymouth, Minnesota, is a retired sociology professor who taught for 37 years. He is now a freelance writer, wedding officiant, and a regular contributor to the News Tribune opinion page.

Adventures visiting courthouses triumph over pandemic blues

From the column: “As the pandemic dragged on, it became obvious we would need to expand our excursions to include a more monumental and challenging objective. We decided that we should visit every historic courthouse in each of Minnesota’s 87 counties.”

Opinion by Dave Berger

November 05, 2022 at 10:19 AM

During the pandemic, folks tried various things to make lockdowns more bearable. Many binge-watched streaming programs while others took to social media to virtually reconstruct lost social interactions. Still others spent thousands of dollars on home improvements, creating offices and other functional spaces.

My wife and I tried many of these. We discovered that mini day trips via automobile to unique outdoor landmarks provided much-needed, light-hearted, and safe diversions. Sticking to outdoor venues, we avoided crowds and reduced the risk of disease transmission. We immensely enjoyed our visits within Minnesota to the largest crow in the world in Belgrade, the largest raspberry in the world in Hopkins, and, of course, the largest ball of twine wrapped by one person in Darwin.

As the pandemic dragged on, it became obvious we would need to expand our excursions to include a more monumental and challenging objective. We decided that we should visit every historic courthouse in each of Minnesota’s 87 counties. We were determined to visit and photograph the oldest courthouse building in each county.

We began this epic adventure on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, with our visit to the Mille Lacs County Courthouse in Milaca, population 2,894. This courthouse is nestled on an unassuming corner. It is a stately gray building made of Smooth Bedford limestone and was built in 1923 using the Renaissance Revival style of architecture.

Like most of Minnesota’s county courthouses, the Mille Lacs County Courthouse has a building for the county sheriff’s department and the county jail on the same campus. Additionally, as with many courthouse complexes, this one uses the phrase “Justice Center” on its newer addition.

In southern Minnesota, there is a beautiful courthouse in the middle of a classic town square in Windom. It reminded me of the fictional town square in the “Back to the Future” films. Like the courthouse in Hill Valley, the Cottonwood County Courthouse in Windom is surrounded by a lovely green space and a number of quaint main-street businesses.

As with many classic courthouses, the one in Windom has a majestic Lady Justice at the top of the building’s domed cupola. Like most statues of Lady Justice (or Justitia, the goddess of justice in Roman mythology), this one depicts her holding the scales of justice in one hand and the sword of state authority in the other. She also wears a blindfold to represent her impartial application of the law.

Almost every historic Minnesota courthouse has a memorial to our veterans on its grounds, some more elaborate than others. One of the most impressive in our state is in Yellow Medicine County in Granite Falls. With full-sized statues of members of each branch of the service in active poses, this monument reminded me of the powerfully realistic Korean War Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

When our travels took us to St. Louis County, we realized we would have to add two additional county courthouses to our tour since St. Louis County has three active historic justice centers. The county courthouse in Virginia is a two-story edifice built in 1910, using the sharp Beaux Arts style. Another two-story building, the county courthouse in Hibbing is a contemporary building built in 1954 using Indiana limestone. The largest of the three St. Louis County courthouses is in Duluth, just across the street from the News Tribune. This courthouse is in a civic plaza that also features a federal building and the Duluth City Hall. This is the only St. Louis County courthouse that flies the alternative North Star Minnesota state flag.

We completed our eight-month county courthouse tour on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, with a visit to the historic Chisago County Courthouse located on the grounds of the Almelund Threshing Show near Palmdale. Built in 1876, this Federal-style, wood-framed building served as the Chisago County Courthouse until 1990, 114 years of active service. It was moved to the Threshing Show grounds on March 8, 1994.

Borne out of the numbness created by the social isolation of a pandemic, our lovely tour of Minnesota’s historic county courthouses became a full education of our state, her incredible people, and their dedication to civic life.

Dave Berger of Maple Grove, Minnesota, is a retired sociology professor who taught for 37 years. He is now working on a book about Minnesota’s historic county courthouses and is a regular contributor to the News Tribune opinion page.

In major Minneapolis arteries, here’s the name to remember: F.W. Cappelen

by Dave Berger12/11/2023

F.W. Cappelen Memorial Bridge Credit: Photo by Dave Berger

Last Thursday, Dec. 7, marked the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the Frederick William Cappelen Memorial Bridge in Minneapolis.

This memorial has been forgotten collectively by most people in Minneapolis. There was no ceremony for this anniversary. Most people don’t even know where this memorial bridge is located, yet thousands of people cross it every day.

The F.W. Cappelen Memorial Bridge is more commonly known as the Franklin Avenue Bridge. This major artery spans the Mississippi River connecting the Seward and Prospect Park neighborhoods. It was named for its designer, the Minneapolis city engineer who died during its construction.

Frederick William Cappelen (born Fredrik Wilhelm Cappelen) dedicated most of his life to designing and supervising construction of many public structures in Minneapolis including iconic landmarks like the Kenwood Water Tower (1910), Prospect Park Water Tower (1913) — aka the Witch’s Hat, the Franklin Avenue Bridge (1923) and the Third Avenue Bridge (1918), originally known as the St. Anthony Falls Bridge.  All these structures are on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Born in Drammen, Norway, in 1857, Cappelen was educated at Dresden Polytechnical Institute in Dresden, Germany, where he received top honors. That is where he met his future wife, Augusta Emile Felicitas Wessel. They moved to Minneapolis in 1883.

At first, Cappelen worked as a bridge engineer for the Northern Pacific Railroad but became a bridge engineer for the city of Minneapolis in 1886.  Later he served as the city engineer for Minneapolis for over 25 years.

During the construction of the Franklin Avenue Bridge, Cappelen died of complications from an appendicitis operation on Oct. 16, 1921. Almost immediately, the City Council renamed the yet unfinished bridge the F.W. Cappelen Memorial Bridge in his honor.

Minneapolis Mayor George E. Leach emphasized the significance of Cappelen’s achievements at that time when he stated, “He devoted himself whole-heartedly to the duties of his office and I consider him one of the greatest engineers in the United States.”

The ceremonial activities to mark the opening of the bridge on Dec. 7, 1923, were amazing.  The dedication was held on the west bridge head and included a 17-gun salute led by Mayor Leach, who was also the commander of the 151st Field Artillery. The parade across the bridge was led by the son of F.W. Caplet, Arthur W. Cappelen and his wife Helen S. Cappelen, followed by the mayor, City Council members and many other dignitaries.  The crowd then marched onto South High School for other events including a banquet with many speakers.

In the early 1970s there was a major reconstruction of the bridge for 18 months. It reopened on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 1971, the 48th anniversary of its first grand opening. This time, the ceremony was not as elaborate as it was in 1923 but the Cappelen family was involved again in the program. F.W. Cappelen’s daughter-in-law Mrs. Helen S. Cappelen again attended but this time with her daughter Sally Ann Cappelen Nelson (Dunn).

In 2016, the Cappelen Bridge was reopened again after a major makeover including a deck reconstruction was completed. There was no ceremony this time. Additionally, only a tiny sign was installed that indicates its name on the west bridge head (see photo).

We forgot to honor our past.

Recently, the Third Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis was reopened in a nice ceremony.  The Oct. 28 ribbon cutting commemoration was attended by Nancy Daubenberger commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Council Member Michael Rainville and other dignitaries. There was even music and a food truck, but no mention of the bridge designer Frederick William Cappelen.

Forgotten again.

It’s not too late, I suggest that a 100th anniversary celebration for the F.W. Cappelen Memorial Bridge can still be held. I also believe large new signs should be constructed and installed on the bridge that indicate it is indeed a memorial bridge. While we are at it, let’s invite some of Cappelen’s great and great great grandchildren to the ceremony.

It’s time to remember our history.

Dave Berger of Maple Grove, Minnesota, is a retired sociology professor, and a freelance writer and author.

Memorial benches provide rest, beauty and remembrance

by Dave Berger11/23/2022. MinnPost

At various times over the past five years, I have felt the urge to travel our nation by car. I have taken many trips and have now visited all 48 states in the lower contiguous United States. I have seen several great monuments to the memory of others in every shape and form conceivable.

From the colossal 67-foot-tall statue of Sam Houston in Huntsville, Texas to the larger-than-life bronze sculpture “Swing Low” of Harriet Tubman in New York’s Harlem neighborhood; from the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia solemn memorials in Arlington National Cemetery to the beautifully majestic Cesar Chavez National Monument in Keene, California, I have seen the numerous ways people chose to remember others.

One of my favorite forms of remembrance is also one of the most understated yet prolific in our country. In my travels, I found memorial or dedicated benches in every state, on many college campuses, on beautiful scenic trails, and most appropriately in cemeteries. I noticed that people walk by these benches every day going about their business and seldom notice that they are indeed memorials.

Memorial benches come in many shapes, sizes, and materials. Some are made of stone or concrete while others are manufactured of wood or metal. Still others have attached statues or are part of larger monuments.

These benches invite you to relax, reflect, and remember the person who is no longer with us.

Many memorial benches are dedicated to people who had violently tragic deaths. On the grounds of Werner Park stadium near Omaha, Nebraska is a dark blue metal bench with the dedication plaque that reads “In Loving Memory of Spencer D. Brown.” Spencer had once worked at the stadium as a teenager.

After graduating high school, Spencer moved to Minnesota. Shortly thereafter in 2016 he was shot by a stranger in Myre-Big Island State Park near Albert Lea when he was only 23-years-old.

Dustin Weber has a dedicated bench near Crescent City California. The plaque on the bench reads: “In loving memory of 25-year-old Yurok native DUSTIN DOUGLAS WEBER. Swept from the mouth of the Klamath River, March 11, 2011 tsunami. He may be gone, but never forgotten!”  I found the view from this memorial bench quite serene considering this tragic loss of life that had occurred during the 2011 Tsunami.

Both Dustin and Spencer were in their mid-20s when they died. It is not uncommon for memorial benches to be dedicated to people who died at an early age. For example, on Pre’s Trail in Eugene, Oregon there is a green metal memorial bench for 15-year-old Zoe Bartlett who died in 2006 from cancer. The inscription on her bench reads: “In Loving Memory of Zoe Bartlett 1990-2006; A Lover of trees, this area was her favorite place in the park.”

I have seen over a dozen memorial benches that celebrate the remembrance of a person and their special relationship to their pet. For example, at the intersection of Duluth Street and Ensign Avenue in Golden Valley, there is a dedicated bench to Gary Prazak and his faithful companion Zeus. This bench has a photo of Gary and his Great Dane dog Zeus etched into its signage.

In many places in I found memorial benches that incorporate statues. One particularly cool statue-bench is in Sundance, Wyoming. It depicts the “Sundance Kid,” Harry A. Longabaugh, serving time in their local jail.

Ft. Ross State Park in northern California contains the fascinating remnants of a Russian fur trading outpost. I did not expect to find a memorial bench there, but I did. This bench is dedicated to John Sperry an author and member of the Fort Ross Conservancy.

The view of both Fort Ross and the Pacific Ocean is spectacular from John’s bench.  His bench label reads: “JOHN SPERRY – FRIEND, MENTOR, & FORCE OF NATURE.”  It makes me wish I had known the man.

Many dedicated benches are in the most picturesque areas of our country. When I was running around Lake of Isles and Bde Maka Ska, I noticed a single bench right on the channel between the lakes. This beautifully located simple wood and concrete bench is a memorial to Robert “Bob” Stinson, a founding member and lead guitarist of the American rock band The Replacements.

What I really like about memorial benches is that most of them are dedicated to everyday folk who enjoyed the beauty of life. At the most lovely Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Washington is one such bench created for Judith Ann Peecher. The inscription on the bench simply reads “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Dave Berger of Maple Grove, is a retired sociology professor who taught for 37 years. He is also a freelance writer working on a book about memorial benches.

From Skylab to Gateway: 50 years of leapfrogging into space

by Dave Berger07/10/2023. MinnPost

As a fourth grader at Jenny Lind Elementary School on the Northside of Minneapolis I had an innovative teacher named Ms. Kougle. On May 14, 1973, she introduced us to space exploration by telling us about Skylab, the first American made space station that was launched that very same day, more than 50 years ago. In fact, she instructed us to go home that evening and watch the launch.

When we got back to school the next day, our teacher had us start construction on a version of the space station in our classroom. Our building materials included cardboard boxes, duct tape, and silver, black, and white tempera paints. She provided photos of Skylab as guides to our construction.

We made the model almost as long as the classroom so that we could take turns “piloting” and “floating” around the inside of our own space station. For that week, we added to our station and were taught many things about space. We even forwent our daily milk and cookies in favor of Tang and dried packaged fruit.

Unfortunately, the flight of our cardboard Skylab went much smoother than the real mission.

Originally, the initial crew for Skylab was scheduled to launch the day after the space station was sent into space. But the solar panels and sunshade did not deploy properly so the crew’s departure was delayed. It was not until May 25, 1973 that the crew went into space with a new mission: to repair Skylab.

The first crew of the Skylab spent 28 days on the station mostly repairing the solar shade and solar panels. This mission was commanded by Charles “Pete” Conrad, Jr. (the third person to step onto the moon), with the pilot being Paul J. Weitz (who later commanded the maiden flight of the space shuttle Challenger), and the science pilot Jospeh P.Kerwin (the first physician selected for astronaut training). One of the repairs they completed was the deployment of a parasol-like sunshade that brought temperatures inside the station down to acceptable levels.

Before Skylab, the USSR had the lead in space station construction and launches into orbit. That nation had created four space stations before Skylab and another six after. Of the total 17 space station launches in history, the Soviet Union/Russia has led 10 of those, United States three, and the Peoples Republic of China three. The 17^th station is the International Space Station (ISS), a multi-national effort by the United States (NASA); Russia (Roscosmos); Europe (ESA); Canada (CSA); and Japan (JAXA).

14 of the 17 space stations have returned to Earth. The three space stations left in Earth orbit include the International Space Station (ISS), the Tiangong Space Station operated by China (CMSA), and the Genesis I and II, which were launched in 2006 and 2007 as a combined test vehicle by Bigelow Aerospace of the U.S. The Genesis station is now a space derelict.

The next generation of space stations will not be in Earth’s orbit. Rather, they will be placed in orbit around the moon. The first of these stations is called Lunar Gateway or simply Gateway.

Gateway will be launched in November 2024 under the Artemis program. It will become the first extraterrestrial space station. This station will make travel to Mars and to deeper into our solar system possible.

The first two modules of Gateway, the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) and the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) will be launched on the Falcon Heavy rocket. Four of the five International Space Station (ISS) partners, NASA, ESA, JAXA, and CSA, will manage Gateway. Note that Russia has opted out and is creating its own new space station by 2025.

While Skylab had an Earth orbit of only 268 miles, completing an orbit every 93 minutes, Gateway will have a highly elliptical orbit around the moon that will range from 930 miles to 43,000 miles and take seven days to complete one orbit.

Skylab made the expansion of our space station program possible. As we build more and more stations, the human inhabitation of our solar system will be within our grasp. Like an interstellar game of leapfrog, we will, as Gene Roddenberry envisioned, “boldly go where no one has gone before.”

Dave Berger of Maple Grove, Minnesota, is a retired sociology professor, a freelance writer, and an author.

April Fools’ Day: participate at your own risk

From the column: “I never did get to yell ‘April Fools!’ I just felt like one.”

Opinion by Dave Berger Duluth News Tribune

March 31, 2024 at 10:26 AM

“Fools rush in where angels fear to tread” is an oft-quoted phrase from the 1711 poem, “An Essay on Criticism,” by Alexander Pope. It’s a most appropriate line to use on April 1 each year. Indeed, at this time of year, many people try not to rush in anywhere lest they fall victim to an April Fools’ prank or joke.

Traditionally, one of the most common All Fools’ Day pranks is to send someone on a fools’ errand to find an imaginary object or complete an impossible task. When painting and decorating, for example, a person can be sent to the hardware store to get a “long weight.” If the clerk is sharp, when they are asked for said object, they may say it will take a while to find it and see how long the victim waits.

Some of the most common April Fools’ hoaxes involve food items. The switching of sugar for salt in a bowl or a shaker has been around a very long time. In Ireland, many bake “fool’s pies” that are full of delightful ingredients like mustard, vinegar, or pepper.

When I was in elementary school, I remember quite clearly that I enjoyed participating in April Fools by visiting my local novelty/magic shop and picking up a whoopee cushion, a hand buzzer, or a stink bomb. One of my favorite tricks was the quarter with the flat head nail glued to it. Pounding the quarter into the gap between sidewalk slabs and then watching people try to pick it up from a distance was quite amusing.

Of course, participating in such lighthearted jokes can backfire quite easily. One of the earliest documented references to an All Fools’ Day prank was made by Geoffrey Chaucer in his “Canterbury Tales,” written in 1392. The fox flatters a vain rooster named Chanticleer on the 32nd day of March (April 1) until he lets his guard down and is swooped up by the fox.

The rooster turns the tables on the fox when he tricks him into letting him go by telling him he should boast to the other animals about his success. When the fox does, he accidentally loses his grip, and the rooster gets away.

Indeed, sometimes the victim of a prank has the last laugh.

When I was in college, I had some dormmates who were always pulling practical jokes. I decided I needed to plan a more elaborate prank to really get back at them. I chose April 1 as the date for my master plan to give them a sporting chance not to fall for my hoax.

My friends loved playing poker. So, I made up a poker tournament sponsored by the national Federation of Poker or FOP. I did up some neat-looking flyers and posters and covered the campus with them.

“All Spring Poker Tournament: Prizes, Fun, and Bragging Rights,” one poster announced. I worked in the student-activities department, so I was able to get and affix the official stamp that legitimized and authorized the posting of the posters.

Well, I set the tournament for 6 p.m. on April 1 in the student union. I planned on strategically sitting near the commons to see my friends wait for the tournament to begin. I would jump out after 10 or 15 minutes and yell, “April Fools!”

As I approached the building, I noticed a lot of activity. When I went inside there were over 200 people in the commons area. I asked a friend what was going on. She said, “Are you here for the big tournament?” I said, “Um … er … yes. And you?” She said, “It’s so exciting, isn’t it?”

On reflection, I probably did too good a job creating the fake tournament. Sigh.

I never did get to yell “April Fools!” I just felt like one.

Dave Berger of Maple Grove, Minnesota, is a retired sociology professor, a freelance writer, and author, and a regular contributor to the News Tribune Opinion page.

Famed Minnesota actor got his big break 70 years ago

From the column: “(James) Hong’s career spans over seven decades and 600 different acting credits.”

Opinion by Dave Berger – Duluth News Tribune

March 02, 2024 at 1:10 PM

Veteran Hollywood actor James Hong celebrated his 95th birthday on Thursday, Feb. 22 at the TCL Chinese Theatre, formerly the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, in Los Angeles. He had his hands and feet immortalized in cement at the famous “Forecourt of the Stars,” as Universal Pictures announced . The ceremony celebrated Hong’s birthday, his 70-year acting career, and the release of his newest film, “Kung Fu Panda 4” (he provides the voice of Mr. Ping).

Many know Hong for his role as the grandfather Gong Gong in the Academy Award winner for Best Picture from last year, “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” for which he earned a Screen Actors Guild Award. However, Hong’s career spans over seven decades and 600 different acting credits, including video-game voicework for such franchises as “Alpha Protocol,” “World of Warcraft,” and “Call of Duty.” Some of his most notable film roles included Faye Dunaway’s butler in “Chinatown” (1974), Chew in the sci-fi classic “Blade Runner” (1982), David Lo Pan in “Big Trouble in Little China” (1986), and the voice of Chi Fu in the animated Disney classic “Mulan” (1998).

James Hong was born near 713 Third Ave. S. in Minneapolis on Friday, Feb. 22, 1929. On that same lot today is the 31-floor SPS Tower with the Hennepin County Government Center just across South Seventh Street. Hong’s birthplace is now a very pleasantly landscaped plaza.

Hong lived in Minneapolis until age 5 in the same building his father operated an herb shop, also near what is now the SPS Plaza. He spent the next five years living in Hong Kong. When he returned to Minneapolis in 1939, he attended Washington Elementary school, Bryant Junior High School, and Central High School.

Hong graduated from Central High School in Minneapolis in 1947. According to the Central yearbook, he was very active in high school as a member of the Hi-Y Trojan Chapter (YMCA for high schools); student councilor; hall monitor; and member of Mimes and Mummers, the school dramatic organization. Hong was president of Mimes and Mummers and had a leading role in “The Knave of Hearts,” which was presented on Valentine’s Day 1947.

Hong went on to the University of Minnesota to study civil engineering. During that time, he teamed up with his friend, Donald Parker, as the stand-up comedy team “Hong and Parker.” They did quite well in Minnesota and decided to move to Los Angeles in 1953 to further their careers.

Shortly after arriving in L.A., Parker turned from comedy to become a real estate agent, while Hong worked as a city engineer and attended USC while waiting for his big break. He did not have to wait long.

On Wednesday, Feb. 3, 1954, Hong was a guest on the radio quiz show “You Bet Your Life” with Groucho Marx. That day the studio audience selected Hong and his teammate, Angie Fregosa, a school teacher from Gloversville, New York, as contestants. Hong introduced himself as Jim Hong, a civil-engineering student from Minneapolis. During his 16 minutes on air, Hong did three impressions: singers Vaughn Monroe and Johnnie Ray and Groucho himself.

The audience loved Hong! In fact, he received the second largest amount of fan mail for a guest on that show. Shortly afterward, Hong got an agent and his first parts in films, including a voice part in the classic 1956 film, “Godzilla: King of the Monsters!”

My favorite role Hong played was super villain David Lo Pan in “Big Trouble in Little China.” Like in most of his performances, Hong showed incredible depth and nuance. In fact, I feel his portrayal rivaled other great movie villains, such as Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber in “Die Hard” in 1988 and Heath Ledger as the Joker in “The Dark Knight” in 2008.

Happy birthday, James Hong! Thank you for all your wonderful contributions to acting, entertainment, and comedy.

Dave Berger of Maple Grove, Minnesota, is a retired sociology professor, freelance writer and author, and regular contributor to the News Tribune Opinion page.

America still seems to love a good no-show

by Dave Berger09/28/2023

Former President Donald Trump waving during a January 2022 rally in Conroe, Texas. Trump skipped the Republican debate Wednesday night. Credit: REUTERS/Go Nakamura

It’s that time again to pay our annual homage to Charles M. Schulz’s classic 1966 Halloween cartoon, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

Most feel empathy for Linus and Sally as they forgo trick-or-treating and Violet’s Halloween party to await the arrival of the Great Pumpkin in their pumpkin patch.

Most viewers also have a favorite memorable moment from this show such as Snoopy moving stealthily in the fields as a downed World War I flying ace; Charlie Brown saying, “I got a rock” instead of candy; or Lucy over-reacting when she exclaims, “I’ve been kissed by a dog!  I have dog germs! Get hot water, get some disinfectant, get some iodine!”

My favorite moment is the one that never happens: the arrival of the Great Pumpkin. By building up the Great Pumpkin’s appearance with such confidence and excitement, Linus heightens the anticipation and adrenaline rush.  It doesn’t matter that there is a no-show, we still get the thrill.

In the history of theater, film, television and online streaming, numerous no-shows or unseen characters are central to the plot of the stories being told.

For example, Rosaline, a love interest of Romeo, is an important character in William Shakespeare’s 1597 “Romeo and Juliet.” Romeo goes to the Capulet gathering to catch a glimpse of this woman he has described as spectacularly beautiful and “the all-seeing sun.” Neither Romeo nor the audience see Rosaline, but they do see Juliet who then becomes Romeo’s new muse.

Another famous theater no-show is Harvey the invisible, 6 foot, 3 ½ inch, Pooka that looks like a rabbit. Mary Chase won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1945 for this creation. In 1950, Harvey was brought to the big screen and starred James Stewart who was nominated for an Oscar and Josephine Hull who won the Oscar for best actress in a supporting role for her performance.

And just think about how many main characters never appear in the story named after them. In Samuel Beckett’s 1953 “Waiting for Godot,” the two main characters wait the entire play for Godot, who never appears. The very creepy “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968) treats audiences only to views of a crib and to incredible looks of dread on Mia Farrow’s face as she looks at the baby. In the 1999 first-person horror film, “The Blair Witch Project,” we don’t see the title character, but only home video close-ups of her terrified victims.

So why do invisible characters provide us with such exciting entertainment?  The simple answer is that our imaginations are stronger and more vivid than anything a writer can produce. By letting the viewers fill in the blank characters, authors energize their works by tapping into the limitless mental power of the collective.

I believe this “Great Pumpkin Effect” works the same in politics as well, especially when they devolve into entertainment and not serious attempts at governing. There is absolutely no evidence that there was widespread voter fraud in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Each time Mike Lindell, Kari Lake, Donald Trump or other election fraud peddlers say they have evidence and facts to substantiate their wild claims, they fail to produce anything.

Within hours of being indicted for the fourth time on Monday, Aug. 14, former President Trump announced he would hold a press conference the next Monday to release a 100-page report detailing election fraud from the 2020 election. He added that, “based on the results of this CONCLUSIVE Report, all charges should be dropped against me & others.” On Thursday, Aug. 17, Trump canceled this press conference.

America loves a good no-show. By getting voters to use their imagination at how widespread the fictitious voter fraud is, Trump seizes their unwavering support without evidence or facts. Like the Great Pumpkin, Donald Trump knows how to steal the show.

Dave Berger of Maple Grove, Minnesota, is a retired sociology professor, a freelance writer and author.

New Minnesota flag commission sets lofty goals

From the column: “They really want Minnesotans to be proud of their new flag and seal and to have those symbols bring all of us together as one people — as Minnesotans.”

Opinion by Dave Berger – Duluth News Tribune

September 07, 2023 at 2:03 PM

On Tuesday, I attended the first meeting of the Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission, or SERC. This meeting was held virtually and was very well run by convener and commission member Shelley Buck (Pte Wicota) of the Prairie Island Indian Community Tribal Council. Many important themes were evident during the hour-and-42-minute meeting.

It was clear that the members of SERC are acutely aware that they are operating under a very short timeline to select both a new Minnesota state seal and a new Minnesota state flag. They must submit their final report to the state Legislature no later than Monday, Jan. 1. The two new symbols will officially replace the old seal and flag on Minnesota statehood day, Saturday, May 11.

This urgency was voiced by many commissioners as they discussed how often they should meet in the next four months. It appeared that the consensus was that they would need to meet every week. Additionally, they agreed subcommittees may have to be created to meet separately and to report back to the entire commission.

Most of the SERC members indicated they were honored to have been chosen to help select the new state emblems.

They realize how important their work is and indicated that one of their top priorities is obtaining public comments and design ideas. One of their agenda items was designing a plan for public input. Many of their comments demonstrated they want ideas from all quarters, including the public, artists, historians, and commission members.

The commissioners also made it clear they want to select designs that are inclusive and represent all Minnesotans. While one focus was on diversity in the communities included in the process, the need for a sense of unity was also expressed by many members. They really want Minnesotans to be proud of their new flag and seal and to have those symbols bring all of us together as one people — as Minnesotans.

These may be lofty goals, but I believe the members of this commission have the talent and energy to be very successful.

The members of SERC have a vivid sense of the historical nature of their work. One member suggested their choices would have enduring symbolic impact on Minnesotans for many years, even a century or more. Another commissioner voiced the opinion that their designs could last considerably longer.

They also made it clear that outreach was very important. They want to get the word out that they are soliciting ideas, suggestions, and designs. To that end, they have a new website hosted by the Minnesota Historical Society that is quite accessible. It’s mnhs.org/serc . The site will have future meetings listed plus details on the entire process.

One of the non-voting commissioners, Rep. Bjorn Olson, summed up the feelings voiced by many members when he suggested the chair and vice chair of SERC should be people either well-versed in history or very talented and experienced artists. The commission followed this advice by selecting leadership with these critical qualifications.

The new SERC chair is Jose Luis Fitch Jimenez of Minneapolis, a founding partner at UNO, a multicultural branding agency and renowned artist appointed to SERC by the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs. The new vice chair of SERC is Anita Talsma Gaul of Worthington, a Minnesota West Community and Technical College history instructor appointed to SERC by Gov. Tim Walz. These are both excellent choices.

The next SERC meeting is scheduled for noon Tuesday . Like many of the commissioners, I am very excited to see this process unfold in the months ahead. While commissioners have a number of issues they will have to iron out as they move forward, I believe the members are well qualified to help us as a state select a new Minnesota flag and seal.

Dave Berger of Maple Grove, Minnesota, is a retired sociology professor, a freelance writer and author, and a regular contributor to the News Tribune Opinion page.

Editor’s note: This commentary was updated at 4:20 p.m. Sept. 7 to add the date and time of the next SERC meeting.

Unheralded athletes left their marks on the first Winter Olympics a century ago

by Dave Berger. MinnPOST. January 24, 2024

Clarence John “Taffy” Abel’s silver medal performance on the 1924 Olympic hockey team impressed the New York Rangers enough that they recruited him. Credit: U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

The first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix, France, 100 years ago this month with the opening ceremonies held Jan. 25, 1924. Originally, when the International Olympic Committee planned its first Winter Games, it referred to them as the International Winter Sports Week of the 1924 Paris Summer Olympics. It wasn’t until after its great success that it retrospectively became known as the first Winter Olympics — or just Chamonix 1924.

The Paris and Chamonix Olympics of 1924 have both inspired many stories, books and films. For example, “Chariots of Fire” (1981) is an epic film that depicts the saga of two British athletes that culminates in their participation in the Paris Games. This true story about track sprinters Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams won four academy awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture.

While Liddell and Abrahams reached the pinnacle of their athletic careers at the ’24 Summer Olympics by winning gold medals in the 400- and 100-meter dashes, respectively, there were two noteworthy athletes from the ’24 Winter Olympics that did not win gold. These two non-champions went on to have quite inspiring and historic careers.

Clarence John “Taffy” Abel was an amateur hockey player from Michigan who was playing in Minnesota with the St. Paul Athletic Club of the United States Amateur Hockey Association when he was selected for the 1924 Olympic hockey team. Abel was the U.S. flag bearer at those first Winter Games. He scored an incredible 15 goals during the games, but the Americans had to settle for second place to the dominant Canadians.

Abel’s silver medal performance did, however, impress the New York Rangers of the NHL enough that they recruited him. He played for them from 1926-29 and then for the Chicago Black Hawks from 1929-34. In 1973, Abel was one of the first inductees into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fall, being a member of two Stanley Cup championship teams.

Clarence Abel’s enduring place in history was assured in 1939 when he revealed for the first time in public that he was Native American with his mother, Charlotte Gurnoe Abel, belonging to the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. We now know that Abel was the first Native American in the Winter Olympics, the NHL and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

Another inspiring athlete from Chamonix 1924 who also has had some retrospective fame was Anders Haugen. Haugen was a Norwegian-born ski jumper who moved to the United States in 1908 when he was 20 years old. He won four American national ski jumping championships and set three American records between 1911 and 1920.

Haugen did quite well on Team USA at Chamonix and finished in fourth place, just missing a medal. Or so he thought. In 1974, at the 50th reunion of the Norwegian Olympic ski team, sports historian Jacob Vaage was reviewing the results and caught an error.

Haugen did correctly receive 17.916 points, Vaage found, but bronze medalist Thorleif Haug from Norway had received only 17.821 points — not the 18.000 that he was originally given. Haugen had won the bronze Olympic medal by 0.095 points!

To rectify this mistake, the IOC sponsored a ceremony on Sept. 12, 1974, at the National Holmenkollen Ski Museum in Oslo, Norway, where the 85-year-old Haugen was officially awarded his bronze medal. He was presented with the actual medal from that event by the daughter of Thorleif Haug, Anne Marie Magnussen, and retrospectively became the first American to win an Olympic medal in skiing.

The Chamonix and Paris Olympiads happened a century ago. The legacy of those games will continue July 26 with the opening of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. While Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams were Olympic champions and Clarence Abel and Anders Haugen were not, it could be argued that the latter pair laid a foundation for equally significant places in history when they participated in the first Winter Olympics.

Dave Berger, of Maple Grove, is a retired sociology professor, freelance writer and author.