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Bob White

Minneapolis, MN
Commenter for
5 years 28 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 02/04/11 at 02:08 pm in response to Deducting mortgage interest on your taxes: a good thing or bad?

Good summary of reasons to eliminate mortgage interest deductibility, Steve. But the fed push for home ownership really began before WWII, during the Depresseion, with the creation of the FHA in 1934. HUD lists the historical reasons:

1.Two million construction workers had lost their jobs.

2.Terms were difficult to meet for homebuyers seeking mortgages.

3.Mortgage loan terms were limited to 50 percent of the property's market value, with a repayment schedule spread...

Posted on 02/02/11 at 01:52 pm in response to Yes, Egypt's in turmoil, but think about it: The Mideast has been remarkably stable

Martin Sampson is a great source. So is Rami Khouri, though more given than Martin to hyperbole. See Khouri's column in today's Beirut Star on the great change taking place in the Middle East.

Posted on 03/24/10 at 12:40 pm in response to The curious case of the nose flute and two yarmulkes

Wow. Just when I thought MinnPost couldn't get much better.

Here's a tip: Get Uncle Al to write more often, maybe with audio of his "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes."

Posted on 06/03/09 at 01:06 pm in response to Commentary editor Eric Ringham leaves Star Tribune for MPR

Great catch for MPR, sad day for Strib. Eric and I took over governance of editorial pages at the same time. I know of no other person who can match his combination of wit and wisdom.

Posted on 04/24/09 at 12:28 pm in response to Politicians' Minnesota budget standoff makes for unsettling breakfast fare

Superior reporting, Doug. I could almost taste the tainted eggs.

Posted on 12/05/08 at 01:27 pm in response to Franken-Coleman Recount: One reporter's personal journey through the spin and Twitter of a post-modern, post-campaign campaign

Best read this ex-hack has seen in months.

Posted on 02/07/08 at 05:01 pm in response to After Super Tuesday: A reporter's notebook

In this year of truly competitive contests for presidential nominations, the Star Tribune’s taking an early pass is unforgivable. My recollection of ancient history – when I was the paper’s editorial page editor – tells me that we rarely endorsed before general elections at any level: local, state or national. The rarities were occasions when the outcome of a primary would be of exceptional importance. Like now. If I were running the page, which thank heaven I’m not, I would be...

Posted on 01/21/08 at 01:28 pm in response to Vote for the veriest verb

Nice, but I wish the partially limericized call to harms had been completed. Maybe thusly:

Your next challenge does not call for verses
Nor a counter of beats like a nurse's:
No more rhyming and meter
Although naught could be sweeter
Than dejected contestants in hearses

Posted on 11/29/07 at 05:32 pm in response to Mideast talks: 'Keep your hopes high but your expectations low'

Wary hopes are certainly justified. On the wariness side are doubts expressed by the Middle East experts cited here, and by many others, about President Bush's willingness to keep pressing Israelis and Palestinians to compromise. The essential elements for compromise are well known. The unknown is whether Bush and his top aides are committed to the grubby work of aggressive mediation day in and day out in the months ahead.

But yes, there's reason to hope. One reason lies in...

Posted on 11/19/07 at 01:41 pm in response to Kahlo and O'Keeffe: a tale of two icons, two shows

These two splendid exhibitions deserve the praise Arginteanu gives them. One secret of each is scale: large enough to define the artist, small enough to avoid overhwelming the viewer. The O'Keefe selections are stunning, especially when so much of her work has been seen so many places for so many years. The "circling" theme worked beautifully, as did the completely different theme of an earlier MIA exhibition, which illustrated the contrasts and mutual influrneces of O'Keefe and Stieglitz...