Photographer Craig Blacklock's Unique Look at Lake Superior

It's well known that the natural beauty of the Northland has been a magnet for artists, writers and photographers for ages. Craig Blacklock is one such photographer captured by this beauty. His work has been captivating fans for a generation.

Blocklock began as a fine art major at UMD, but his interest in photographer preceded those college years. His father Les Blacklock had already made a name for himself here as a respected photographer and environmentalist.

There are any number of photographers in this region who have been captivated by the raw beauty of our natural world. Each has a personal vision. Each strives to transcend the norm to create personal statements impregnated with their own DNA.

Escheresque

Blacklock's current show, now on display at the Joseph Nease Gallery in Duluth, titled Within the Waves--A Work in Four Movements. Though nature is the fundamental subject matter of his lens, Blacklock has manipulated the captured images by "diving in" to deeper spaces within the images, transcending representation.

The abstract imagery allows viewers' imaginations to build their own interpretations. Some of the work reminded me of early Picasso. Others brought to mind landscapes, water slides, the contents of petri dishes and the stunning imagery of M.C. Escher. The work is on display through September 28 with an artist talk slated for August 8 from 5 to 7.

Here's a look at some of the variety in Blacklock's current show at JNG.

These last two above bring to mind imagery
by surrealist photographer Man Ray.

Related Links
Read the full press release about this exhibition here.
Blackrock Gallery: https://blacklockgallery.com/

Intrigue and Illusion in War-Torn Vienna: Graham Greene's The Third Man

I discovered Graham Greene through a somewhat unusual path. I was on a quest to see all of Orson Welles' films. This proved to be an impossible task, but it did introduce me to a number of fine films, one of them being The Third Man, starring Welles along with Joseph Cotton, Trevor Howard and Alida Valli. I have never tired of the film with its Graham Greene DNA. 

Compelling plots, complex characters and atmospheric settings are all hallmarks of Graham Greene's novels. Recurring storylines revolve around universal themes--betrayal, corruption, moral failure, dignity, faith and redemption. 

While researching for this review, I learned that Greene himself had experience in the film industry previous to seeing his books translated to the silver screen. He worked as a film critic and wrote screenplays, which gave him an understanding of the cinematic medium and connections within the industry. (Ah, connections!) His experiences undoubtedly made it easier for his works to transition to film.

He was also one of several British writers who served in the British Secret Service (M6). This experience provided a level of authenticity to his writing. [Other well-known authors who were spies include Somerset Maugham, John LeCarre and Ian Fleming, creator of what is now the James Bond franchise.]

* * *

Graham Greene's novella The Third Man is a moral labyrinth as complex as the underground waterways of its setting, post-World War II Vienna. First published in 1949, it's a gripping tale of intrigue, deceit, and moral ambiguity. The story revolves around Rollo Martins, a hack writer of pulp Westerns, who arrives in the war-torn city at the invitation of his childhood friend, Harry Lime, superbly played by Welles in the film. Upon his arrival, however, Martins learns that Lime has been recently killed in a mysterious car accident.

Martins's initial grief quickly turns to suspicion when he hears inconsistencies in the various accounts of Lime's death. Determined to uncover the truth, Martins embarks on an investigation that leads him through the divided and corrupt city, encountering a host of intriguing characters, including the enigmatic Baron Kurtz and the weary British police officer, Major Calloway.

The novella masterfully captures the atmosphere of Vienna, a city struggling to recover from the devastation of war. Greene’s depiction of the bombed-out buildings, the black market dealings, and the pervasive sense of distrust and desperation adds a layer of realism and tension to the narrative. The setting is not just a backdrop but a character in its own right, reflecting the fractured and morally complex world in which the story unfolds.

As Martins delves deeper into the mystery of his friend's death, he discovers that Lime, far from being the innocent victim he imagined, was an illegal racketeer selling diluted penicillin on the black market, resulting in numerous deaths. This revelation forces Martins to confront the stark difference between the idealized image of his friend and the harsh reality of his criminal activities.

The novella's title refers to the elusive "third man" who was reportedly seen at the scene of Lime’s accident but whose identity remains unknown. This mystery propels the plot forward and symbolizes the hidden layers of truth that Martins must uncover.

The character of Harry Lime, charming yet deeply flawed, embodies the blurred lines between good and evil. Martins' disillusionment and loss of innocence resonates with readers and film buffs alike.

In the end, The Third Man is not just a thrilling mystery but a profound commentary on human nature and the consequences of moral compromise. Greene's vivid prose and intricate plotting keeps the pages turning, leaving readers to ponder the complexities of friendship in a world marked by chaos and uncertainty.

Books That Made a Difference in My Life: Anthem

I was introduced to the writings of Ayn Rand through my grandmother, an avid reader with a rich, vast collection of books. The first Rand book I read was The Fountainhead, a novel about an architect out of step with the herd, who prioritizes individualism, integrity and creative freedom over collectivism, conformity and pandering to others' expectations.

The story was so engaging that I followed up with Rand's novella Anthem, to subject here today.

The book is written in diary form, a challenging form because it limits the viewpoint to the observations of our narrator/observer. (I attempted to write the middle section of my novel The Red Scorpion as a diary.)

The book place in a dreary future. The main character is Equality 7-2521, most of whose diary is written in first person plural "we" because the word "I" has been banned. It is only late in the story that he begins using the word "I." Once he discovers this word, he understands how corrupt and evil collectivism is. Anthem is his ode to the word "I."

In this future world people are not allowed to be alone. Like Winston in 1984, he keeps a forbidden journal in a hiding place, which in this case is a subway tunnel from the Unmentionable Times. He writes by candlelight where he comes to sense he is different from others. The first sentence in Anthem is potent: "It is a sin to write this."

Anthem shows what happens when free thought and individuality are strangled. The ruling council of the collective has convinced people that being alone is the worst crime a person can commit and in this manner we are dehumanized.

Our hero's breakthrough comees when he finally discovers the forbidden word and declares, "I am. I think. I will." 

Now that you are free, what will you do with this freedom?

* * *

"Let us flood our cities with light.
Let us bring a new light to men!"--Equality 7-2521

 

Throwback Thursday: John Lennon's "Mind Games" and His Spiritual Quest for Peace

The power of the Beatles' breakup was such that when they each went their own way many of their fans followed all of them. I was one, purchasing all their first solo albums and several that followed from Paul and John. Mind Games was John Lennon's fourth album after the breakup, released in the fall of 1973 while I was on a semester break from college. The captivating cover art was itself memorable. The following year the title song from the album went gold as a single. This single is the topic for this blog post.

In the early 70's John Lennon's songs were very open about his inner struggles, his conflicts with family, relationships and religion. A previous album captured his explorations with primal therapy as one method of dealing with this inner pain. To some extent this candor in his songwriting is what made these albums so riveting.

Songs have hundreds of ways of introducing themselves. Sometimes it's a guitar lick after which each of the other musicians joins in. Sometimes they join in one at a time and build layers to form a backdrop for the vocals. Sometimes it's the snap of a drumstick blast, as in Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone." Sometimes it's a syncopated drum intro like the Stones' "Honky Tonk Women." In this case, the shimmering, scintillating tapestry of sound is full and flowing from the start, producing the sensation of entering a timeless stream that has no beginning and no end, the wheel of life as it were. Three notes, one sustained and the other two stepping up with a leap to the third, over and over and over. At the song's end this musical backdrop carries on, doing that "ritual dance in the sun."

In 1963 Eric Berne published the best-selling Games People Play, introducing the popular culture to the concept of transactional analysis. A few years later session musician Joe South produced his one and only mega-hit in a song by the same name. "Oh the games people play now, every night and every day now, never meaning what they say, never saying what they mean."

John Lennon offers a different take in this one, foreshadowing a concept that would re-emerge in his song/album Double Fantasy.

In the movie Yellow Submarine we find Lennon quoted as saying, "It's all in the mind, you know." The extreme version of this philosophy embraces the notion that reality as we know it is all in our minds. That is, there is no objective reality but only a projected reality. Lennon's behavior, however, did not affirm this solipsist view but reflected an ongoing concern for the world at large, a commitment to peace and love.

The song "Mind Games" was itself written in the late 60's before the Beatles parted ways, originally titled "Make Love, Not War." The inspiration for the song came from another book about games called Mind Games: The Guide to Inner Space by Robert Masters and Jean Houston.

The line "Yes is the answer" is an acknowledgement of the artpiece by Yoko that originally brought them together. Too often, as Eric Berne documented, the games we play keep us apart. John Lennon's appeal is for us to play a different kind of game that brings us together.

Mind Games

We're playing those mind games together
Pushing the barriers planting seeds
Playing the mind guerrilla
Chanting the Mantra peace on earth
We all been playing those mind games forever
Some kinda druid dudes lifting the veil
Doing the mind guerrilla
Some call it magic the search for the grail

Love is the answer and you know that for sure
Love is a flower
You got to let it, you gotta let it grow

So keep on playing those mind games together
Faith in the future out of the now
You just can't beat on those mind guerrillas
Absolute elsewhere in the stones of your mind
Yeah we're playing those mind games forever
Projecting our images in space and in time

Yes is the answer and you know that for sure
Yes is surrender
You got to let it, you gotta let it go

So keep on playing those mind games together
Doing the ritual dance in the sun
Millions of mind guerrillas
Putting their soul power to the karmic wheel
Keep on playing those mind games forever
Raising the spirit of peace and love

Back in Nashvlle: Nevada Bob Recording "You Can't Finish What You Don't Start"

Almost Wordless Wednesday 

Nevada Bob, back in Nashville to record his sixth CD,
"You Can't Finish What You Don't Start"

With Charlie McCoy

With Ricky Skaggs

Vince Gill... Pure Prairie League, Eagles

Nevada Bob wth his special friends, Wyland and Charlie McCoy

A song Wyland wrote for the new CD

"There's no place like home."

 Read Nevada Bob's story 

50 Years with the Wrong Woman,

a sentimental rancher's loving tribute
to the girl of dreams.

PHOTOS COURTESY GARY FIRSTENBERG

Biden Announcement Re-Affirms the Influence of X

I believe it was an article in Politico that nudged me to take an interest in Twitter. This was early 2008 I believe. The article pointed out how journalists were using the social media platform to see what was happening and what's trending. It wasn't long before Twitter became my "go to" for following global events.

The terrorist assaults in Mumbai during Thanksgiving weekend later that year demonstrated the power of this new medium. As the horror unfolded people were Tweeting their S.O.S. distress signals to the world,

The power of Twitter and Facebook for disruption has been extensive as well. The two social media cites have been used to organize protests, spread information and to mobilize coups, overthrowing the leaders of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

During covid, Bob Dylan released "Murder Most Foul," from his epic Rough and Rowdy Ways, Dylan's first album of original songs in eight years. The midnight tweet reverberated around the world. A week later he followed up with "I Contain Multitudes."

And so it is that big news can break without leaning on traditional media. While yesterday's tweet by Joe Biden surprised many, utilizing the platform X to announce his stepping down from pursuing a second term, it was not without precedent.

If you're a writer and are not part of the X, formerly Twitter, community... what are you waiting for?

"The Man" by Irving Wallace Is as Relevant as Ever

I believe it was in Civics class my freshman year that we were assigned to read The Man by Irving Wallace. Though I didn't know it at the time, Wallace was a bestselling author most notable for his political fiction. This novel, published in 1964, made such impression on me  that I recall the story and some of its scenes to this day. To a certain extent it has served as a lens through which I view the political games played in Washington D.C., and why so many of us are suspicious of the media's motives or reliability,

The central character is Douglas Dilman, a quiet and unassuming President pro tempore of the Senate who finds himself thrust into the highest office in the land after a series of unforeseen events leads to the sudden deaths of the President and Vice President. By default Dllman, for better or worse, becomes the first African American President of the United States. From the outset he faces unprecedented challenges, both from within the political establishment and the society at large.

Dilman is a reluctant leader who becomes a symbol of hope and change. Kermit Madigan, his chief antagonist, is a Senator who represents the old guard and embodies the entrenched prejudices, deep-seated racism and resistance to change that Dilman must confront. (EdNote: The book came out the year after Dr. Martin Luther King's March on Washington and before the assassinations of Malcolm X, Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy.

There are also a diverse array of secondary characters, each representing different facets of American society, from loyal aides and family members to political adversaries and ordinary citizens.

What remains fresh in my mind are the lengths to which President Dilman's enemies will go to discredit his character, including fabricating a bogus rape charge.  And the media goes right along with it, amplifying every aspect of this preposterous story.  

Wallace highlights the harsh realities of racism in America. Through Dilman's experiences, he hammers home the societal attitudes that African Americans have faced, both in politics and everyday life.

The novel examines the nature of power and the burdens of leadership. Dilman's ascent to the presidency forces him to confront his own doubts and insecurities, while also dealing with the expectations and prejudices of others. (I'm curious what kinds of doubts and insecurities President Biden and former president Trump wrestle with at the end of the day when they kick off their shoes.)

The Man underscores the potential for change and progress in society. Dilman's presidency, though fictional, serves as a beacon of hope and a reminder that progress is possible, even in the face of overwhelming odds. I'm curious how many of our 1960's classmates imagined that we would see a black president in our lifetimes,

I remember the book being engaging and accessible. Complex political scenarios and social issues were understandable and compelling. His writing kept me hooked  from start to finish, though I was too young to appreciate how he achieved this effect. I only know that it made an impact on me and I've had it come to mind numerous times while following Beltway politics over the years.

What books did you read in school that have remained relevant for you or opened your eyes in one way or another?

Is Our Energy Grid At Risk?

Minnesota energy providers say being carbon free by 2040 won’t be easy

On Feb. 7, 2023, Gov. Tim Walz signed Senate File 4, also known as the Minnesota Clean Energy Acceleration Act, pledging to lower greenhouse gas emissions by mandating a carbon-free electricity standard by 2040. Technically, the new legislation is a revision to previous energy targets with an updated renewable energy standard of 55% by 2035. The law also adds new carbon-free benchmarks that also must be met: 80% by 2030, 90% by 2035 and 100% by 2040.

While the new legislation stresses the importance of reliable, affordable and safe energy resources, some energy experts have expressed concerns about the fragility of our energy grid including the North American Electric Reliability Corp. NERC is a not-for-profit international regulatory authority. In its December 2023 Long-Term Risk Assessment report, it placed this region in the highest risk category. It says the “high risk” label indicates that electricity supply resources may not be adequate to meet demand in extreme situations. One reason is the moratorium on nuclear plant construction that has been in place since 1994. Nuclear is one of the only carbon-free alternatives that can always meet demand.

Though there are many challenges on the road ahead. Energy suppliers have been ramping up for the future for a long time. This article seeks to bring a basic understanding of how our energy systems work, the severity of threats and what is being done to ensure a brighter future. 

Understanding the grid

Most people give very little thought to where our electricity originates. We flick a switch and the lights go on. We plug in appliances and electronic devices expecting them to power up. Here’s what we don’t see.

The United States is actually composed of three power grids. The largest runs from the Eastern Seaboard to the Rockies. With the exception of Texas, all of these states are running in sync, interconnected and operating on the same frequency. The Western Interconnect, hugging the Pacific Ocean, is on a separate grid. Texas has a grid of its own.

Within the grid there are Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs), non-profit agencies that manage the electrical markets, acting like a New York Stock Exchange for wholesale power bought and sold on a minute-by-minute basis in its territory. Minnesota is in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator(MISO) region. Spanning parts of 15 states, MISO has two major roles: It balances the load on the large transmission lines within its region and it operates the wholesale power markets. MISO owns no infrastructure.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) stands as the overarching regulatory authority governing the entire system, with a mission to achieve “reliable, efficient and sustainable energy for consumers.” In addition to overseeing interstate electricity distribution, the agency regulates pipelines for natural gas and oil, as well as some related facilities and hydropower projects.

The primary aim of energy providers and regulators is three-fold: reliable, affordable and safe energy. In fact, it’s mandatory. Each of these is essential; none can be neglected or compromised. This is one of the primary challenges with which energy providers concern themselves.

Co-ops and utilities

On the state level, energy is delivered through co-ops and utilities. According to Joe Miller, director of communications for the Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA), its electric co-ops serve 1.7 million Minnesotans through 44 distribution cooperatives in all 87 counties while operating the largest distribution network in the state with more than 135,000 miles of electric lines. A percentage of these, like East Central Energy and Great Lakes Energy, are member-owned cooperatives. A larger number, like the 3,000 electric customers in Proctor, are served by municipal co-ops. 

The co-ops do not create most of the electricity they deliver to homes and businesses. Rather, they resell power that comes from a multitude of companies that own and operate the power plants, solar arrays and wind farms. 

When it comes to meeting the ambitious net zero carbon targets by 2040, all three primary providers – Minnesota Power, Great River Energy and Xcel Energy-Minnesota – expressed confidence that they are well on their way toward meeting or exceeding the mileposts laid out by state government. 

Kevin Coss, senior media relations representative for Xcel Energy, noted “Xcel Energy was the first electric company in the nation to set a vision to deliver 100% carbon-free electricity. We supported the 2040 legislation and are committed to achieving a zero-carbon future as quickly as possible while also ensuring affordability and reliability. The electricity we currently provide to our Minnesota customers is nearly 70% carbon-free.” Two-thirds of this is from the Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear-powered plants.

John Brekke, vice president and chief power supply officer at Great River Energy (GRE), likewise affirmed that its Minnesota-based member co-ops “will be 90% carbon-free by 2035. We are aligned with that target.” 

Minnesota Power’s Communications Director Amy Ruttledge stated that the Duluth-based utility has been actively moving in this direction for nearly two decades. 

“We were 95% coal-based in 2005. We have since closed seven of our nine coal plants,” she said. Minnesota Power already delivers more than 60% renewable energy to their customers, Ruttledge added. “We’re not starting from scratch. We are actively carrying out objectives.” This includes eventually closing the Boswell 3 and 4 plants, putting out RFPs for  new solar (300 MW) and wind (400 MW) projects and making other investments in the grid. 

“Grid resilience is critical,” Ruttledge said. 

The role of nuclear

“Nuclear energy will play an important role in the clean energy future as a source of ‘always on,’ carbon-free electricity,” said Xcel’s Coss. “Our two nuclear plants have reliably provided Minnesotans with carbon-free energy for about 50 years and currently constitute 28% of the electricity we serve to customers. Neither of the nuclear plants have been scheduled for decommissioning; in fact, we are currently taking the steps needed to extend the operating license of our Monticello nuclear plant and will follow suit with our Prairie Island nuclear plant in an upcoming regulatory filing.” These extensions, after a full in-depth safety analysis that takes years to complete – will allow the Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear plants to remain online until 2053 and 2054, Coss explained. 

In early December, Justin Jahnz, president and CEO of East Central Energy, discussed with BusinessNorth some of the intricacies of this issue. 

“Energy is a complex conversation. At first it seems easy but is quite complicated. One hundred percent carbon free is different from 100% renewable. Wind, which is affordable and prevalent, can cover a lot. We also need capacity. In the next 60 to 90 days there will be cold weather and cold nights. There’s no solar at night and often not a lot of wind. We need to have dispatchable resources.” 

This is where peaking plants currently come in. Natural gas peaking plants are designed to meet temporary peaks in electricity demand. They operate only when the demand for electricity is high, typically for short periods in the heart of winter here or hot summer months in the South. This makes them different from baseload power plants, which run continuously to meet the constant minimum demand for electricity.

“Natural gas is affordable in summer, but expensive in the winter,” Jahntz said. “When needed, it can be dispatched. Reliability trumps everything, and should. But (we) should also be thinking about progress so we can reduce the amount of carbon we put into the atmosphere.”

He currently has concerns, however, about meeting the 2040 targets without nuclear. 

“There’s a lot of development around SMRs (small modular reactors). Some organizations are making great progress, and I think there’s a lot of potential. The political appetite here is relatively low.” 

When the 70-year history of nuclear submarines was noted as an example of DMR safety, Jahntz said “a lot of those nuclear reactors were run by the federal government, which does not operate on a financial/economic basis.”

“The biggest misconception people have is this,” said Jahntz. “There is no realistic storage function of the grid. There is a lot of demand volatility. We may see situations where we have rolling blackouts. I don’t think people will put up with that very long.”

The problem, according to Miller, is that both wind and solar are intermittent sources. “And those sources are not controlled by the generation company like all our other sources. The generation company has to adapt to a continuous fluctuation in power generation.”

Additional concerns 

Lake Country Power, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, serves parts of Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine and St. Louis counties. The co-op provides electricity and other energy related services to nearly 43,000 members in the rural parts of northern Minnesota. With more than 8,200 miles of distribution lines within 10,872 square miles of service territory, LCP is geographically Minnesota’s largest electric cooperative.

Lake Country Power receives and distributes power from its supplier, Great River Energy. GRE is a not-for-profit electricity provider owned by 28 distribution cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin, including Lake Country Power. GRE generates and transmits electricity.

Mark Bakk, general manager at Lake Country Power, expressed concerns about meeting the renewables target in the governor’s energy bill. 

“To me, we’re going to have a problem. If they are really serious about being carbon free, we need nuclear. Right now, the target is 80% carbon-free by 2030.”  The biggest problem with nuclear, Bakk said, is the public’s perception. “We have to get over the fear.” After citing Three Mile Island and Fukushima, he added, “They don’t build nuclear plants that way anymore. There is new technology, including small modular reactors (SMRs) that have been effective for decades.”

Bakk stated that energy distribution is exceedingly complex. “Keeping everything going involves a lot of moving parts. It’s not as simple as people think.”

Storage

In the 15 years that Ruttledge has been with Minnesota Power, she’s found it quite striking how quickly things have changed. 

“This transformation of our industry is amazing,” she said. This applies to every facet, including the challenges.

“Storage is something that is evolving. We’re exploring storage technologies. It’s about being commercially viable and cost effective. Storage will definitely play an important part in this transformation,” Ruttledge said. “We’re continuously investigating these new forms of technology. This transition is happening fast, and storage plays an important part.”

Transmission lines

Transmission lines were another matter addressed in various ways by several energy spokespersons. The rollout of wind farms and solar arrays is taking place in areas not presently serviced by adequate power lines, if there are power lines at all. Even when the technology is ready, permitting can create delays. 

Bakk pointed out that “if you look at the state where we are, the lines are owned by GRE or Minnesota Power. They have open access, the two providers using each other’s lines. Working on a joint transmission project, permitting reform is needed to meet deadlines. Solar panel arrays and wind farms aren’t sited where the energy is used, so more transmission lines are needed, and it all costs money. There are going to have to be changes, common sense changes for reliability and affordability. A better-defined process and better-defined timelines are needed.”

The risk

Returning to the matter of risk, Philip Hult, development coordinator at Generation Atomic, helped explain the dilemma. The best way to understand it is to chart the trajectories of renewables and carbon-free energy, past, present and future. The renewables targets established in 2007 were a set of stairsteps up to the 25% by 2025 which Minnesota providers have done well to exceed by means of wind, solar, small hydro, biomass and trash.  

The new carbon-free standard signed into law in February 2023, which includes all the renewables above plus nuclear, is 100% by 2040 and 55% renewable by 2035. The climb to 55% renewable will be a challenge, but does not seem absurdly out of reach. The leap to 100% carbon-free, however, will be impossible without a lot of firm, dispatchable carbon-free power, many energy experts agree. With the technologies available currently, that means nuclear. There’s simply too great of a gap between the projected decarbonization trajectory and the targets of upcoming years, Bakk and other fear.

The Minnesota mandates appear incompatible. The 2023 mandate can’t be achieved. without carbon-free nuclear power. The 1994 mandate prohibits new nuclear.

Despite the concerns raised and challenges to address, there is a surprising amount of optimism about the future. Jahnz said, “We need to be pragmatic and have conversations about the future of energy in this country. I am confident the legislature will continue to listen and work toward better solutions. I believe our best years are ahead of us. I try to stay politically agnostic. We’re involved in politics but we’re working in the best interest of our customers.” 

--This article originally appeared in the February 2024 issue of Business North