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U.S. officials must deter digital invasions

What is being called the SolarWinds hack of tens of thousands of private and government networks may have been the most serious digital invasion of the United States ever, those with knowledge of the situation have said. It may take years to repair the damage, they add. As many as 18,000 computer networks have been compromised by the hack, which got its name from the Texas software firm through which the hackers invaded networks. U.S. intelligence agencies say the attack bears all the signs of having originated in Russia. More detailed knowledge of where blame should be laid needs to ...

Exercise discernment this Christmas season

We urge area residents thinking of going over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house this Christmas to bear one thing in mind: We are not out of the woods yet. In many ways, COVID-19 is more dangerous than ever in most states. Public health officials cautioned us all about large family gatherings for Thanksgiving. The surge of COVID-19 cases since then is evidence many people paid no heed to the warnings. They went ahead with festivities of the type enjoyed for years — and the deadly virus was communicated to many members of their families. More than 50,000 Americans ...

Drug companies have earned our ire

It seems difficult sometimes to keep up with all the lawsuits against drug companies without a scorecard. But the more we learn about the truly evil practices in which some engaged, the more it seems the punishment cannot be too harsh. A bipartisan congressional report issued last week explains that some companies selling addictive opioid painkillers spent as much as $65 million funding allegedly nonprofit groups that promoted use of such drugs to ease pain. The practice continued until 2019, long after the hazards of opioids were known widely. Responsible pharmaceutical firms backed ...

Freedom of speech must have some limits

We Americans treasure our freedom of speech. We defend it staunchly. As the old saying goes, we may not agree with what some people say, but we defend their right to say it. Unless it is intended to incite violence to harm people otherwise. There, we draw the line. In August 2019, a federal judge in Missoula, Montana, ruled that the publisher of a neo-Nazi website had stepped across that line. Andrew Anglin, founder and operator of The Daily Stormer website, had orchestrated a campaign intended to harass a Jewish family, Judge Dana Christensen decided in a lawsuit filed by a member ...

Et Cetera

Man gives to needy Kudos to Eric Leach for turning a personal negative into a group positive. Put out of work due to an injury, Leach chose to find a way to help others during his own time of hardship, by gathering donations and giving them to the elderly and families in need. As we approach the Christmas season, Leach serves as an example to all of us. While 2020 has been stressful and painful for many, let’s not forget that there are people still willing to help their fellow man. Mental health aid Human Services of Faribault and Martin counties will be offering free mental ...

Trimming proponents must not go too far

Reforming law enforcement agencies where the stain of bigotry remains a threat to the public is important. We have no doubt the vast majority of men and women in the profession agree with that. But hamstringing them is not the answer. It not only discriminates against good cops, it also has dangerous to the public. Yet some public officials remain committed to “defunding” law enforcement simply to placate a few unthinking constituents. An example of the phenomenon is playing out in Minneapolis. There, after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a few police officers, there ...