Skip to Content
Opinion

Important Friday Open Thread Question: Can You Breathe?

It's time for you talk about whatever's on your mind, Racket pals.

9:33 AM CDT on June 16, 2023

The air in Minnesota seems to be clearing up some after a smoggy, smoky week. But it was not pleasant, and that seems like an obvious starting point for our open thread discussion this week.

The lousy air also makes me want to mention something I'm kind of evangelical about. Have you ever gotten allergy shots, or thought about it? I have and I gotta say it changed my life. Before I did, there were days when I simply could not function and others when I was simply disgusting to be around. Now I rarely if ever suffer more than a couple sneezes and my eyes no longer look like Rocky's going into the 15th round.

Of course, this open thread is, as always, a place where you can gab about whatever you want. Feel free to ignore my health advice or the gross air completely and talk about what's on your mind.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More Stories

On the Big Screen This Week: Revolting Peasants, Invading Monsters, and David Lynch

Pretty much all the movies you can catch in the Twin Cities this week.

September 10, 2026

St. Cloud Comedian DQ Becomes the First Somali-American Winner of Acme’s Funniest Person Contest

'I was doing open mics with my passport on me,' the rising young comic says of shows during Operation Metro Surge.

September 10, 2026

Let’s Make Minneapolis Louder!

Music makes a city feel like a place where people enjoy living. Let’s have more of it on the streets of Minneapolis.

September 10, 2026

Normal, Decent, Healthy Country Sends St. Paul Somali Asylum Seeker to Guantanamo

Plus immigrant businesses struggle post-OMS, some alliterative food news, and a new owner for the Woman’s Club building in today's Flyover news roundup.

September 9, 2026

Can a Super-Cute Kids’ Book Save Lizzo’s Career? (Plus 4 More Books for Young Readers.)

An important Indigenous story by Ashley Fairbanks, a true story about a bison, and more new books from MN (and MN-adjacent) authors.

September 9, 2026

We Must Abolish the New Skyride Ads at the Minnesota State Fair

Plus forever chemical podcasts, State Fair food review aggregation, and school start time debates in today's Flyover news roundup.

September 8, 2026