St. Patrick’s Day is just over the horizon, so let’s have a little fun with my people, the Irish.

This And That * We all know that song, “Do You Want To Build A Snowman?” Well, I have thought about, and I say no, I don’t want to. I want to build a sandcastle on a beach in the Caribbean.

This And That * Don’t ask permission to fly. The wings are yours and the sky belongs to no one.

WHEN KANSAS WAS PART OF FRANCE The place we call Kansas was claimed by several nations before it became part of the United States. About 12,000 to14,000 years ago, indigenous peoples (later called Indians) began moving into present- day Kansas. Those migrations continued into the 1800s when the federal government moved some eastern tribes to reservations in present-day Kansas, which once had 34 reservations. Over time, the indigenous peoples organized different nations of people speaking similar languages. When European nations began searching land to colonize in Africa, Asia, North and South America in the 15th century CE (common era), acting under the Doctrine of Discovery established by Papal Bulls (official policies declared by several Catholic popes) which authorized white, Christian nations to occupy the lands of nonwhite non-Christian people, take possession of their lands, dominate and enslave the people, and govern those colonies, there were several indigenous nations, commonly known as tribes or first nations. The first nations encountered by European explorers who claimed present Kansas included Konza (for whom the Kansas River and the state were later named), Osage, Pawnee, Wichita, Plains Apache, and others, later joined by Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, Comanche, and some Sioux.

Dear Susan: We like the new Sentinel- Times! Congratulations! Lyla Lowry Stockton Sentinel-Times: Enclosed please find our payment/check for a oneyear print subscription to the Sentinel-Times. I lost track of our prior subscription and failed to renew it in a timely manner (much to my husband’s disappointment.

• A lot of psychology goes into knowing how to merchandise. Consider: A grocer put up a sign that read, “Eggplants, 25 cents each – three for a dollar.” All day long, customers exclaimed: “Don’t be ridiculous! I should get four for a dollar.” • The dog was stretched out on the back seat, and the woman wanted to impress upon the dog that he must remain in the car.

• This is a true story. Many people know about the small bison herd in Hays, south of the FHSU campus and across the road north of the Fort Hays Historic Site.

This And That * They say to listen to your inner voice… well, mine wants me to quit my job and move to the beach. * On Tuesday, March 3rd, skywatchers will get a front row seat to witness a total lunar eclipse where the full moon shifts into a rich copper red gold.

Black History Month February is Black History Month, and Kansas has much Black History to celebrate and much racism to dislike. Kansas Territory, created in 1854, became a contest for control between free-state and slave-state interests.

Staff: Love the paper. Keep up the good work.