Here’s a look back at what happened in June, the National Accordion Awareness Month.

School ended. Five minutes later, the first “I’m bored” proclamation was made.

June 13 was Blame Someone Else Day — isn’t that every day? An academic worked out a mathematical formula that proved June 20 to be the happiest day of the year. The 26th was the birthday of Scottish theologian Robert Murray McCheyne, who wrote, “Even in the wildest storms, the sky is not all dark.”

It is a goofy world. The CEO fired by Wachovia after its stock price dropped 58 percent during his tenure was given a severance package of more than $8.5 million. The CEO of American Axle, which cut its American workforce in half, was given an $8.5 million bonus that when added to his $5.5 million regular compensation, amounted to a third of the company’s profits. General Motors announced more plant closings while giving its CEO a 64 percent pay raise to $15.7 million.

As a supporter of public radio, I have received Minnesota Monthly magazine for many years. I was not surprised, but was pleased to see the mention of Tender Maid as one of the best burgers in Minnesota. I loved the writer’s words in the July issue of that periodical that read, “I do feel very sad that Mozart will never know the singular pleasure of a $2.75 hamburger consumed at the counter of the Tender Maid in Austin.” The burger is a Maid-Rite or loose meat sandwich best devoured with the assistance of a spoon.

A gallon of gasoline and a pack of cigarettes raced to see which would have the higher price.

The Supreme Court accepted the argument from Exxon that $2.5 billion in damages awarded in the Exxon Valdez oil spill was “excessive.” It takes Exxon about 19 days to register $2.5 billion in net profits.

A man tried to rob a store by threatening the clerk with a palm frond, which, he pointed out, had very sharp leaves.

The Hula Hoop turned 50.

Aldo Leopold wrote, “In June, as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day. No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them.”

Benefits benefit us all

My wife and I attended a pancake breakfast held for Angie Lenort at the Moose Lodge in Albert Lea. Angie had recently undergone surgery for a brain tumor and is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. Shortly before the benefit, Angie and her husband, Dunnell, were involved in a car accident and were hospitalized in Rochester. Not long ago, Michelle Obama said, “For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country.” I wish she could have been in line with me. The queue of people waiting to donate to this wonderful cause was astounding both in length and in goodness of the individuals therein.

As I waited in line, I thought about another procession I had been in recently. It was a line of cars snaking down I-35.

The speed limit on the highway was 70 miles per hour, but a lot of drivers had set their cruise control at 74 or 75 miles per hour — over 70.

As I watched two drivers fight a battle of obscene gestures and irregular vehicle speeds, I thought of Tim Voigt.

I attended a benefit for Tim recently. Tim has a wife, a young child, and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease.) Tim has maintained his sense of humor.

If only those idiots endangering the lives of other travelers could do the same.

It wasn’t the work of a woodpecker

I stopped outside the home of friends named Jim and Jan Beach. Jim and Jan had a large tree in their front yard that had died. Instead of turning the tree into firewood, Jim and Jan had one of those chainsaw artists turn the tree into a large Goldy the Golden Gopher, the mascot of the University of Minnesota. It’s pretty cool. Jim and Jan are big fans of the Gophers and now so is their tree.

It gave me an idea. If a tree in my yard dies, I’m going to have it carved into a tree.

Ask Al

“Hey, Al, where is the ocean the deepest?” At the bottom.

“Hey, Al, what is the biggest crime in Minnesota?” Winter.

“Hey, Al, what is the easiest way to be a defensive driver?” Drive a Dodge.

“Hey, Al, what family do bears belong?” They are in the same family as worms — the gummy family.

“Hey, Al, you have mentioned you have two housecats. What kind are they?” They are lap fungus.

“Hey, Al, what’s the most difficult part of camping?” Fluffing the rocks.

Hartland resident Al Batt’s columns appear every Wednesday and Sunday.