Saturday, August 22, 2026
Are the world's copper oligarchs good worldwide citizens, or are they just too NIMBY when their own backyards are the fullest in the world of the resource they seek to extract while imperiling Minnesota's Boundary Waters - Rainy River Watershed.? What is international justice in the situation?
The headline asks good questions. And there are longstanding federal treaty tribal rights to wild rice harvests in Minnesota waters. What's that worth if the wild rice gets poisoned?
Every voter in Minnesota should know the facts of this clear online site ---
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/copper-reserves-by-country
The message - there's more ore elsewhere. So do it in your backyard or somebody else's backyard, not ours. Not in the Rainy River Watershed. We don't want your mess where you copper oligarchs do not mine sulfide minerals safely.
Disaster Prone is a mere euphemism for your recent oligarchic record.
Go away. Exploit others. Not us. Said simply -
Oligarchs in Chile and Switzerland: Don't go away mad, just go away.
________________UPDATE________________
After the screed, some links. Steve Timmer at left.mn has published much on the subject of sulfide mining history and expectations, safety-wise, and it is scare packed coverage. He knows more of the issue than I do. Crabgrass did search = left.mn sulfide mining
Much showed up beyond that site's posting alone. For that site, recently, here and here. Those two posted by Dan Burns, not Timmer. Two Timmer posts from earlier, here and here. Posts there have sidebar links allowing readers to unravel the full thread on topic.
That search returned two waterlegacy.org posts, here and here.
Local View: Sulfide-ore mining a lose-lose for Minnesota,
Sulfide-Ore Copper Mining and the Risks
Science Desk: How Sulfide-Ore Copper Mines Pollute
Toxic sulfide Mining Near the BWCA
Do your own research, and you might even hit on mining oligarch propaganda.
It is not simply Crabgrass bloviating, it is argument from multiple outlets urging caution.
Urging avoidance of too rapid a possible decision bias leading to possible long term disaster.
A "measure twice before cutting" message. Something like that. There is no urgency. Those saying move now seem to show false prophet motivation.
Striking while a partisan iron is hot is an aim some show.
What a weasel quote. Career politician speak for certain. A pablum dog whistle, if I may mix my cliches. Niska, either you are for protecting the Boundary Waters, the Rainy River watershed, or not. Don't shade us.
Axios does Twin Cities specific coverage from time to time. Regarding the pristine northern Minnesoa waters attraction that the outfitters there love and annually profit from, the unique Boundary Waters Wilderness national public asset, Harry Niska, stow the waffle and be for its due protection or not, on the record, clearly and without evasion, as we in MN House District 31A consider an upcoming vote.
https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2026/08/19/boundary-waters-ban-mining-walz-twin-metals
Walz moves to ban copper-nickel mining near Boundary Waters
[... to the money quote] "Removing any opportunity for these mining projects to even start through Minnesota’s incredibly rigorous environmental review and permitting process is short-sighted [and] will damage the fragile economy in Northern Minnesota," House GOP Leader Harry Niska said.
Fucksakes, Harry, everyone knows the rapacious foreign owned mining giants have been held at bay for long enough that 90 days more will be an inconsequential amount of time but that Stauber wants to press a cramdown now against the better judgement of the State, his way, and that statement Axios quotes about pseudo urgency or pseudo efficiency is not going to wash.
Ferrous mining, iron ore, is the heart of Iron Range economics, you know that too, Harry, and this is a nonferrous mining caution at issue having nothing to do with actual Iron Range actions, today, on the ground.
Harry. In your heart you know what you're saying is trash. Give up being a politician for at least 90 days, to allow the Walz effort to reach deliberation in the State's legislature, (where you are hoping to stay), where the next legislative session can function without any biased clock running against them. So that ordered and deliberate representation procedure may carry the day.
The Axios quoted Niska non-statement is so transparently politician-speak that you, Niska, should be ashamed of it. And in turn you should come forth with a legitimate statement, for or against protecting the national treasure the Boundary Waters is, to define who you are to voters on the eve of reelecting you or voting you out for a non-wafflle of the other party.
That said, the Axios item is broken down into explanatory items, and clearly lays out the situation.
All Crabgrass readers, international or more local to the U.S. and to Minnesots, should read the item. It is a classic of greed to exploit a U.S. locale, by giant international mining firms headquartered in Chile and Switzerland, with it our Minnesota land at risk.
Once the watershed protection is lost, it cannot be regotten. It's Humpty Dumpty, and Walz is keeping the egg on the wall for a mere 90 days more of prudent considerations.
Harry, give up being a politician for 90 days, and be a Minnesotan concerned with what is best for the entire state, long term, including a future distant enough to be after giant international mining firms would have exhausted profitable ore and left a mess behind for Minnesota to clean, if cleanable at all..
Be a statesman this time, if you would.
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| They inherit what you do and decide. Asset or cleanup mess. Show due care. |
________________UPDATE_________________
Things are partisan this close to the year's general election. We cannot and should not hide that. There is choice, and Crabgrass is touting the Dem agenda:
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| https://www.walkerforward.com/ |
AND - There is https://www.walkerforward.com/news/endorsement-alert-save-the-boundary-waters-action-fund
There is much to Brian Walker's campaign site, e.g., https://www.walkerforward.com/news
Trust me. Check the site. He is no waffle. And, yes, this POST AND UPDATE is showing partisanship. So what? It's good for people to know alternatives when a choice is at hand. It's being fair to disclose partisanship, when it's already apparent anyway.
Crabgrass wants Walker to replace Niska. As an upgrade. Know that in your own thinking.
Thursday, August 20, 2026
Julian Reese a Timberwolve? It could be.
He hits the boards. And does okay on free throw perecentage.
6' 9", 230lb. Passing, stamina and speed, and defense have been incompletely analyzed online, from the search Crabgrass did. 23yr old, and not long in the league. Good hands on the lob? We'll see.
Quickly, AJ has some new posts which are multiply interesting. Mention is posted now. If any additional posting happens here, it would be tomorrow.
Readers may wish to front-run any new Crabgrass posting about AJ content.
The link to do that: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Particularly, AJ posts an EXPLAINER about the U.S. hitting the $40 trillion debt figure.
While yet to read it and other content, that EXPLAINER link is given to goad Crabgrass readers to seek it out.
.
Sometimes you search and find a new site that seems both impressive and sound. This post is about that.
Many organizations list their board and staff. Not the case here, so a qualified shout-out.
https://couragefordemocracy.com/
https://citizensimpeachment.com/
Allied efforts. Web searching for news about Doug Chapin and his Dem candidacy in my Minnesota district, among returns was: https://couragefordemocracy.com/candidate/doug-chapin/
The quality of the Chapin bio published there was striking. Causing this post. They should post their peoples identity, staff and board. That said, the links stand as they do.
"Freedom's just another word for money running things ...". That's what Rhoades Scholar Kris Kristofferson wrote and Janis sang, the line from Me and Bobby McGee? Yes/No?
Remember that Reagan said stand in fear, when the man says, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you?" Weigh that Harry Niska is saying, "I'm in the government and I'm there to help you."
Intrepid. Repeatedly saying things to the microphone - for you. For your Freedom.
Fighting to help you; your values. It's a contest. As if the legislature is Fight Club. Cut taxes and spend. What then? The man changes suits and ties and microphones, to be in the government to help you.
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The ever prudent fight against the Dragon. We slay the Dragon. Dragons - The Harder they Come!
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His website didn't really mention dragons. That's editorial content. Nonetheless -
Tune time. In honor of actual Republican will toward "values." And, yes, Harry is only a local man, not even in Congress like Emmer, who's now House party whip. Shepherding Partywide cut tax, then spend priorities to the floor and whipping the troops to action.
And I am not making this Partywide gross mismanagement story up. It's on your backs. Not letting go. The reporting is fresh.
A reach? Harry's fault? Only indirectly. That's true. HOWEVER - Harry, and Emmer even more, coattail on the White House big ego spender man who's largely doubled that trouble since his first inauguration.
Facts are facts and coattails are only so reliable, then truth enters the scene and it becomes, "What coattails?"
Again -- a reach? Go figure.
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