Right On the edge... By Soo Asheim

Process, not intent, slowed Waller case news 8/01/2008

NO WATERGATE IN CLAY COUNTY

Within a week of the incident involving accused Clay County Commissioner Jerry Waller smacking a student, I received two phone calls and three e-mails (and several more since then) asking why none of this was reported closer to the date when the alleged incident happened versus a month and a half later? Good question.

After trying to reach the Clay County Attorney’s Office and finding they have no comment in light of turning the entire debacle over to the Grant County Attorney’s Office due to Commissioner Waller’s obvious connection, then finding the attorney handling the case for Grant County will not be back until the second week of August, I called Sheriff Bill Bergquist, who directed me to Glyndon’s Chief of Police, Mike Kline. Chief Kline was actually the only officer in Clay County directly involved with any of it.

Chief Kline received the original report on June 10 from the Minnesota Department of Education. As school was out by then, Chief Kline’s job of locating witnesses for interviewing regarding the alleged incident on May 27 was something akin to looking for needles in a haystack – doable, but not easy. The parents of the student claiming assault filed their complaint on June 18 with the thenprincipal of the DGF High school, Dr. Tom Gravel. Witness interviews were finished by June 24 with the exception of Jerry Waller, whom Chief Kline interviewed the following day. On June 26, Chief Kline’s complete report was turned in to Clay County.

Because of Jerry Waller’s connection to Clay County, to override any concern regarding a conflict of interest, the case was then turned over to Grant County’s prosecuting attorney.

On July 9, Grant County responded by letter, asking Chief Kline to send a citation to Commissioner Waller, which Chief Kline did on July 10. On July 11, Grant County returned its application for appointment for Special Council to Clay County.

The question that keeps rolling around in my head is, why did it take the major media outlets of the Red River Valley another three to four days to report this? The people involved from Clay County’s Central Administration were not aware of any of this until they read it in the local paper – several days after the last filing date closed for the Clay County Commission elections, which were July 15. Does that include The FM Extra? Not really. We are a weekly feature newspaper – not a daily newspaper. While we do our best to keep up on the happenings within the Red River Valley, we do not have the staff to man the local city police reports, county courthouses, city hall meetings, etc. That is the job of all the regional major media networks.

As for those believing there was an overt attempt to “cover up” this sad-sack affair because it involves an elected official in Clay County – get over it. No one in Clay County, not the police, DGF’s principal, administration, or other commissioners, attempted to or did cover up anything. If I believed anything else, I would be the first screaming “government manipulation!”

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

Amy from Pizza Patrol called this week, and I’m pleased to say we will be continuing our weekly call-in for pizza. Apparently until now, no one has taken advantage of their new computer and input data regarding their loyal customers who, like us, rarely have cash on hand and for obvious reasons don’t want to give our debit card or credit card numbers to a “here today, gone tomorrow” minimum-wage pizza-order operator.

Oddly enough, when Amy and I were talking, she said she was making certain the information regarding taking our checks would be available, and she found that we weren’t in their system at all! I think I know why. I usually write the pizza checks, and it happens that my business name is also on my checks. My business phone and my phone from home are not the same, nor do I use our home address on my business checks. My guess is that led to some of the confusion.

The point is this – I took the trouble to go down to Pizza Patrol after the first “we don’t take checks anymore” issue came up and talked to Amy. Amy knows me and assured me it would not be an issue or a problem for us to continue to write checks for our pizza. Did I do this because I think I’m special? No. I did this because I wanted to continue ordering our pizza from Pizza Patrol and, since we had been a very long-time customer, I didn’t think it would be a big deal, especially if I asked. If we only ordered on an occasional basis, it would be one thing, but after fifteen years of weekly orders, I figured they would know us well enough so that it wouldn’t be a big deal. I was right about that.

And that is exactly what everyone who wants to continue doing business with any local in-town business should do whenever something occurs that may hinder or totally stop a person from continuing their customer/business relationship: TALK to whomever is in charge.

I appreciate Pizza Patrol even more because they have a person in charge who values their customers, and that’s what it really is all about – LOYALTY. That, more so than anything else, is what makes or breaks hometown businesses. For those who e-mailed me after reading my piece and a few who talked to me, if you want to go back to Pizza Patrol pizzas but only pay by check, just call Amy. I’m sure she’ll be happy to work it out with you.

Good management includes excellent customer relations 7/25/2008

In this day and age of the “throw away society,” the word “loyalty” apparently has little to no value any longer either.

Maybe it began happening with the move-in of so many “corporate” everythings: department stores, airlines, restaurants, oil & lube shops, pharmacies, movie theatres, even coffee shops are all pretty much considered “corporately” owned, and, up in the northern valley, that usually means the corporate offices with all the stuffed shirts are somewhere else but generally are not in our area. That doesn’t leave much left in terms of “locally owned” anything. A few car dealerships, printing shops, bars, an occasional restaurant (and many of them are “franchise” leased), a very few smatterings of hometown hardware stores, hair salons and barber shops. I can think of two, maybe three, pizza places that are actually homegrown entities, and in Moorhead there’s only two.

We have ordered pizza from Pizza Patrol nearly once a week for the last 15 years.

Until the last year we’ve almost always ordered two, especially when both our kids were home. At roughly twenty-five dollars (not including a tip) a week, for a minimum of fifty weeks a year for 15 years, by my estimates, that’s $18,750 we’ve plugged into one Moorhead business.

It has taken Pizza Patrol forever to come into the 21st century and join the rest of the world in using computers. So every week, year in and year out, I put up with whomever their newest phone operator was to get our name and address correct for delivery of our pizzas. Even though, if they had a computer in house, they would be able to just click on a couple of files and – “WA-LA!” – they could have had the information ready at hand as to what we ordered EVERY WEEK of the year for 15 years. So, about six months ago when our delivery person said they had finally gotten a computer, I was delighted. I figured it would not only be much easier to order the pizzas but, who knows, maybe as a promo event they’d give a free one to whoever ordered the most in a year? Boy! Was I dreaming.

Several weeks ago I called in our usual order and, by another different voice I didn’t recognize, was asked, “How do you want to pay for this? By cash or credit card?”

We are a family who never, ever has cash on hand. OK, a couple of bucks here and there we can scrape together with some change maybe, but most of the time I even include the tip with the amount owed and pay by check. We pay everything by check most of the time unless it’s a three-year-old refrigerator that for some unknown reason decides to konk out – then we go to one of the “big cards” out of sheer necessity. I said “check.”

“We don’t accept checks any longer.” “Oh, really? Could you put the manager on, please?” Amy came on and said it wouldn’t be a problem and of course they’d take our check. End of problem, right? Not really. Everything was going along as usual until this last weekend when I decided to order a pizza.

The order operator and I went through the entire spiel, except this time whoever was in charge said, “No. no checks.” I cancelled our order with Pizza Patrol. I called Papa John’s and, yes, they take checks. And they also make thin crusted pizzas just the way we like them, too.

So, while Jay Lere and Pizza Patrol may have joined the computer age, somewhere along the way they lost their appreciation for loyal customers who stuck with them through times of “lost pizzas,” semi-burned pizzas, and great pizzas – who always paid by check and in 15 years never once with a check that might bounce. They have now lost one because I am not about to give my debit card number to someone who may work at Pizza Patrol one week but is gone the next week (and for all I know has taken my debit card number with him/her) – and I am definitely not going to pay with a major credit card that charges me 21 percent interest. I am not the only person in Moorhead who feels this way, as I’ve mentioned this to others who feel as we do and aren’t ordering for the very same reason.

Yes, I do understand that many fast-food places have gone to debit cards or cash only. I don’t care. I am not a loyal customer of theirs, nor have I spent THOUSANDS of dollars buying their food. I am also aware that many, many schmucks are writing bad checks, and that is hard on small businesses. BUT WE ARE NOT AMONG THEM.

So, until Pizza Patrol’s management can figure out how to treat their loyal customers who have appreciated them by remaining good customers year in and year out by taking their and our checks again, Papa John’s will gain a new customer and about $1,250 or so a year.

Good service still out there 6/12/2008

When you last visited your local gas station, fast food place, favorite store – pick one, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Kohl’s, Gordy’s whatever – I’ll bet if you gave the cashier anything larger than the amount owed and were due change back, most of you had it handed to you without having the cashier count it. Why do I feel confident in my guess? Because the majority of cashiers DO NOT KNOW HOW TO COUNT CHANGE. Somewhere between the intro to calculators for math computation and today’s generation of having basically everything computed for them, the ability to actually give a customer her change by counting it forward from the amount they owe to what they gave the cashier is a completely and totally lost “art.” Half the cashiers that are my age don’t do it either. The ones I love are those who just hand me a wad of change and bills with my receipt. Usually I don’t say anything, but the other day this particular cashier was surly to begin with, so I asked her how much change she had given me. She just stood there like a deer in the headlights and said, “Uh, uh, well, wasn’t it right?” I smiled at her and said, “Well, I don’t know. Was it?” I left her wondering whether she was going to come up a few bucks short in the till.

I don’t blame the employees totally. Most simply need to be trained. For my money, there are far too few places training their employees, whose job is “dealing” with the public in a favorable manner that encourages a customer to return.

One place in particular I know that does an excellent job is Hornbacher's. As we are “empty nesters” these days, I don’t frequent the grocery store as often as I used to. It isn’t unusual for me to suddenly remember I need to pick something up on the fly – so when I’m near a grocery store, I will stop and run in for the few items I may need. I have been in every grocery store in Fargo-Moorhead at one time or another, and there is a huge difference between the attitudes and customer relations at every Hornbacher’s versus the others. I don’t know if it’s the training they receive or if Hornbachers’s simply hires better people, but I’ve never been in one Hornbacher’s store where I couldn’t find someone to help me find something within five minutes. Additionally, when I get to the cash register to check out, the cashier is always friendly – regardless of their age or gender or how long they’ve been standing on their feet. And guess what? They always at least tell me how much change they are giving me!

So, Dean, maybe you and Steve Everett should write a first volume on “HAPPY CUSTOMERS” and then sell it to your competitors during the next convention!

SOMETIMES THE TRUTH AIN’T SO PRETTY

After all the bru-ha-ha on Jack and Sandy’s show about the piece written about North Dakota in the National Geographic, I looked up Bowden’s piece on North Dakota “ghost towns” and re-read it again. For the life of me, I don’t get it. Just what exactly is it that was written about the past-dying and, in some cases, still-dying towns in rural North Dakota that has Gov. Hoeven and all others so bent out of shape? The piece is a retrospective on the towns that once flourished but were not able to keep up economically and lost what small populations they had when the townspeople needed to find a better way for themselves and their families. NOTHING in this piece is untrue or, for that matter, all that unflattering. Sad, yes. Untrue? No, I don’t think so.

My first arrival to the Midwest was from Alaska. I first moved into Walhalla in 1970. The town was small for sure, but had a vibrant school – with more than 200 in just the high school. There was a bakery, a hardware store, a lumber yard, a couple of banks, three gas stations, two car dealerships, two grocery stores, a drug store, two clothing stores, a drive-in eatery, three restaurants, even a movie theatre, as well as several bars and a variety of other places. In 1975, when I left, two of the cafés were closed. One of the clothing stores was closed. The Gambles store was barely hanging on – in fact, it may have closed by then.

I traveled back about four years ago to see a friend I graduated with but hadn’t seen since. It was mortifying to see how the once pretty little town had shriveled up and was barely clinging to life-support. It was summer, and it looked as grimy as when the snows begin melting without sweeping away the silt and mud. The bars are still there and a grocery store, one restaurant and one car dealership. The population when I moved there was a little more than 1,600 people. It now has in the mid-900s.

What I don’t understand is why. One of the first plants for ethanol was built in Walhalla. It failed the first time. They have since reopened it. There is a skiing resort outside of Walhalla – a very nice one and, frankly, of all the areas I’ve traveled to in North Dakota, Walhalla is by far one of the most scenic and absolutely one of the prettiest. It’s only six or seven miles from the Canadian border. One would think, with all it has to offer, it should be one of the rural towns that could actually keep rejuvenating itself.

It is also home to one of North Dakota’s most egregious “subsidized” farming corporations – “earning” more than a million dollars a year in subsidies. Maybe that’s what the problem is. I think it’s called GREED. So much so and to the degree of destroying all around it – including an entire town.

On the other hand, Kenai, Alaska, where I moved to Walhalla from in 1970, had a population of about 1,800 people and has since TRIPLED its population as well as made its tourism post a place for tourists to actually SEE and DO and experience life in Alaska, in winter as well as their 22-hour summers!

Yet, getting to and out of Kenai is anything but easy. So, does Kenai have a better tourism department than the state of North Dakota? Welllll, apparently it may have.

There are a multitude of reasons why the tiny villages of North Dakota have died.

Ignoring it doesn’t make it any less true. Gov. Hoeven can write all the indignant letters he wants. The fact is, for all the “progressive” moves he cites in his letter to Bowden, it has not altered the fact places like Buxton, Gardner, Page, Hunter, Walhalla, Backoo and hundreds more are all but prairie wastelands because people still need to be able to make a living and send their children to school and attend churches and shop for groceries and medicines.

As the third-term candidate, what is Gov. Hoeven doing to prevent these towns from becoming the next ghost towns in North Dakota? Western North Dakota has the Baaken Formation with the promise of a huge oil boom. But what about the farming communities without oil potential? Who will save them?

Don't mess with Grandma ... or Aunt Haley - 5/30/2008

IF MAMA AIN’T HAPPY…

As the recent Memorial Day holiday slipped away, I reminisced about past Memorial Day holidays when, as a teenager, I eagerly waited for the school year to end, packed my suitcases and flew southward to my original homeland of Georgia. I spent my summers going back and forth from Athens to my grandmother’s small town of Elberton.

Athens, hometown to the University of Georgia, always brimmed with fresh-faced college students bursting with enthusiasm for hot summer days to bake their bodies and nights for partying. My favorite aunt and, truth be told, “second mother” lived in Athens along with her two young children. Her daughter was three years older and far braver than I ever was. She thought nothing of sneaking out an hour or so after my aunt had gone to bed and “borrowing” the family cruiser for a couple of hours of touring the downtown strip. Naturally, she needed my help; while she put the car into neutral, I was given the task of pushing it out of the driveway onto the street, where she would then turn it to just the exact angle so it would roll a few hundred yards down the hill and she’d then start the motor. They lived in an upscale neighborhood with little or no traffic after 10 p.m. and my aunt’s bedroom window faced the street. Lucky for us, from March until November her central air conditioner was never off.

By the time I caught up to jump inside the car, my nerves were frayed! While I was always big on ideas, I was never one to actually go out of my way to break laws, especially where my grandmother or Aunt Haley were concerned. These were two women who could paralyze you with just a raised eyebrow. Whatever they condemned was every bit “law” as anything I might ever get arrested for in my book. Probably more so. My cousin, Cassandra, however, was never deterred by the “what if” scenarios I had nightmares about. She just decided this is what we’re doing and, before long, there I was right along side her, usually sweating bullets! But still “there” nonetheless.

During one of these nights we borrowed the car and went toward downtown, we noticed a lot of commotion going on a couple of blocks away. Nearing the hullabaloo, we stopped to wait for the slow-moving traffic to go forward. As we were sitting there, an officer came over to the car and asked why we were downtown. Cassandra looked at me, and I just waited for whatever lie would come rolling out. Cassandra was nothing if not inventive. While the officer seemed to buy into whatever reason she gave for two teenage girls to be out at 12:30 a.m., he then decided to ask for her driver’s license. Back in those days, “nice” young girls did not go cruising town unaccompanied at 12:30 a.m. for any reason. Not in Georgia. Cassandra handed the policeman her license; he looked at it, saw she was 18, and gave it back to her, then said, “And yours, miss?” “MINE? What do you need to see mine for? I’m not driving.” “Do you have a driver’s license?” “No, I don’t. I just moved back from South America and haven’t taken my test.” “Well, do you have some identification on you?” “No, I didn’t realize I’d be interrogated so I didn’t bring any along.”

Interrogated. For some reason, that term coming out of a smart-mouth teenager just didn’t sit real well with this cop. The next thing we knew, the policeman blew some whistle and we were now being approached by two more cops. We were asked to turn off the car and step out of it, which we did. The cop who stopped us originally ran the plates, found the car was registered to my aunt – and CALLED HER.

Now, at this point I am positively mortified with terror! Because the police were going to take me to jail? No. Because I might have a “juvenile” record for helping to steal my aunt’s car? No. I am slowly approaching a nervous breakdown because my Aunt Haley is not only going to find out we took her car without permission during the middle of the night and are now being held by police, but, worse yet, she will tell my Grandmother on the next Sunday visit to Elberton! “Dear God, just kill me now” was all I could think of.

My Aunt Haley was among the first female administrators ever to work for the EPA; the University of Georgia was the location of a very large EPA lab. To say she was fairly well known and equally respected would have been an understatement. Athens was a small city of about 65,000 or so in those days. Not so huge that the University and those who were part of it didn’t wield a lot of influence. Whatever she said to the policeman who called seemed to make him very happy. He came back to us, told us to get back in the car and, while looking at me, said, “You are out past curfew for your age [I was 15] and I could take you into custody, but what is waiting at Ms. Haley’s house will probably cure you of any more wandering around in the middle of the night. You two go home, right now.”

The drive home was quiet and way too fast as far as I was concerned. Cassandra kept concocting stories to tell; I was more in the doomsday mode, thinking I would never be able to look my Aunt Haley squarely in the eye again.

The front porch light was off, but the carport light wasn’t. Cassandra parked the car, and we went inside to find a large note on the bulletin board that pretty much said it all:

“I ALWAYS WANTED A LIVE-IN MAID. NOW I HAVE TWO. H.”

Life may not be fair, but we can make it better - 5/23/2008

LIFE IS NOT PERFECT I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m really tired of reading and hearing about someone suing the government with the aid of the ACLU or any other “everything on earth must be fair” entity for a singular reasoning that affects one out of every 50 people.

If there is anything I’ve learned during my 53 years living on this earth, it’s that sometimes life just isn’t fair. There are times when I’ve simply wanted to scream, “WHY?”, because whatever happened had no rhyme, reason or rationale. Frankly, I probably did scream. But after the scream was over and my nerves were calmed, the next move was to sit and figure out what had to come next. How do I find an alternative to whatever the problem or obstacle was, then maneuver my way around it for a better or, at the very least, a different solution?

Do I feel sorry for those who have it much more difficult than me? Yes, of course I do. But the fact is that I have difficulties and “issues” just as everyone else in life does. But sitting on my laurels feeling sorry for myself and whining about how “unfair” it is doesn’t solve anything. Hunting for a scapegoat doesn’t help either. That usually proves to be a major waste of time and energy that could have been used in a far more productive endeavor. Not everything in life is convenient. I feel sorry for anyone who is born blind or loses their sight for any reason. And I’m sure the numbers of people who need help due to their loss of vision is high. But what proportion of the population are they in comparison to the rest who have sight? I don’t know, but I’d bet it isn’t large enough to change our monetary system so that billions MORE dollars must be spent on everything from putting Braille on our paper money to having to change every vending machine in the country.

Unfortunately, in our ever-growing world, there will always be people born with disabilities who will need help to simply function on a day-to-day basis. It isn’t “fair” and most of their lives will be far more difficult because of whatever affliction they have. But to ask or expect that the world should stop rotating as it does and change its course – the “roadways” that the majority uses – in order to make it less difficult for the minority also is not fair. Nor is it realistic. What we hopefully all should want to do and be open to do is to help make easier the lives of those we each know who have more difficult lives.

If we each were willing to do or make life easier for just one person who has a disability or needs help, society and the government would be leaned on much less and those who need our help would be far better served.

I’m no Pollyanna. I do live in the real world where I see and am aware of all sorts of horrible people and catastrophic events. But I also know that the heart of America is great and, for the most part, “WE” as individuals, as well as our government, are more than willing to help out anyone in a lurch or who needs a hand up. Perhaps more so than ever, what should be done is promotion of that fact. Maybe what America needs now is a great big ad telling us, by demonstrative acts of our “good deeds,” about how great we really are.

Unforgivable crimes deserve unforgettable punishment. - 5/16/2008

SOME ACTS CANNOT BE FORGIVEN

Recently we’ve read and heard the news accounts regarding cases so heinous, so outrageously over any line for any human to do to another, that the thought of “forgiveness” is beyond what mere mortals should ever have to consider.

Example 1: the young male animal who raped a 73-year-old woman in West Fargo. Yes, he was caught (after attempting to rape another woman on the east coast) and brought back to face his accuser, as well as to answer for his crime. He asked this defenseless woman, whom he had violently assaulted, as well as the court, for forgiveness. His attorney asked for a less harsh penalty – only seven years – anteing up the excuse that his client was sexually abused as a child and had a drug problem at the time he committed his crime.

The court decided to sentence Michael Jerome Waller, Jr. to serve 22 years in prison first, with the balance of his sentence suspended for 10 years of “supervised” probation.

Waller is 24 years old. Serving 22 years for raping a 73-year-old woman somehow seems rather lopsided to me. Why 22 years? Why not 25 years or, better yet, 40 years to life?

If the creep is still alive after 40 years in prison, THEN let him out.

Example 2: the woman who gave birth to a baby boy, then, after letting him starve to death, placed his tiny body inside a suitcase and left it in a ditch close by her home. Sentenced to 10 years in prison for leaving her newborn son alone for nearly two weeks, essentially allowing him to die, then throwing the body away as if it were bad garbage, this woman, a mother of three other children, asked for leniency from the court so that she might “continue her work as a mother” and take care of her other children!

Whatever this woman’s excuse for giving birth to a child, then allowing it to literally dehydrate and starve to death, I cannot begin to imagine. It really is irrelevant. The fact that she allowed a child – her own child – to die in such an inhumane way should not be forgiven. The thought that she might actually be able to ever have control of her other children is totally ludicrous. And if the courts or we as a society allowed it, that would be just as insane.

My question is, why the hell are we allowing either of these two people the possibility of getting back out on the streets at all? Why won’t they both be locked up until they die or hell freezes over? Why only ten years? Why 22 years? What is so magical about these numbers? Who is responsible for determining how long a person should be in prison?

What of this notion of “forgiveness?” I understand that, as better people, we are to “turn the other cheek” and that all the psychobabblers say victims should be able to forgive their transgressor or they cannot move on. Yes, staying torqued off and being mad forever doesn’t help victims of such crimes to go on with their lives. I would agree that having a fire burning inside the pit of your stomach every hour of the day and night is no way to live. Somehow, victims of crimes must be able to go beyond and find some sort of peace with whatever has happened to them. But how can that happen when the people who perpetrated the deeds are not held totally accountable for the truly horrible things they have done to their victims?

Ten years is certainly NOT long enough for taking the life of a defenseless newborn –and that isn’t even taking into consideration how she allowed that child to die. Once one factors that in, this woman should never see the light of day again outside of a prison wall.

As for the rapist in West Fargo? I think they should have at least consulted the woman he victimized. If she felt 22 years or 50 years or whatever would be long enough, that’s what they should have gone with.

There should be sentences made for crimes that are simply not “forgivable” and that are outside the bounds of human understanding. Raping a 73-yearold woman or starving a newborn to death and then discarding its body as

 

You can't fix stupid, but you can bust it. 5/9/2008

Ron White has a line in one of his comic routines saying, “You can’t fix STUPID.” He is not using “stupid” as a noun; he’s using this as a descriptive adjective.

These are two examples of criminal activities attempted by people obviously less bright than the average, run-of-the mill thugs. What I’m wondering is, is this the wave of the next generation of criminals? It certainly would make our law enforcement agencies’ jobs far less stressful.

The news – in both newspapers from all over the country and national news stories – is filled with the incredible adventures of truly STUPID people! Makes a body wonder if there isn’t some nefarious substance in our food or drinking water that is slowly turning our citizens’ brains to mush. If you haven’t picked up a newspaper recently, both locally and from other areas of the country, the stories I speak of are of totally ridiculous incidents pointing out the lack of any common sense by the nimrods that got caught.

A recent case is about the group of 75 students who were busted for possession, as well as for distribution of a controlled substance – fairly high on law enforcement’s list of “do not deal this drug.” Cocaine. How did so many get caught at one time? Apparently the numero uno dealer decided to go on a mini-vacation for a weekend and, in an effort to notify his clients he would not be “available,” sent an e-mail and text messages to his better customers letting them know he was offering a “good deal” and when he was leaving. The piece de resistance came after he and his cohort were busted, when he asked if, when he graduated with his MASTERS IN HOMELAND SECURITY, the arrest and incarceration would have some effect on him becoming a federal law enforcement officer! His buddy is finishing his criminal justice degree. Now if that doesn’t make you sit back on your heels and think about where the future of our country may be headed, nothing will.

Then there’s the incident involving an up-andcoming, wannabe young recording tycoon who stole a blank check from his girlfriend’s mother, made the check out to himself for $360 billion – yeah, that’s billion with a “b.” Imagine being the teller taking this check. After a quick call to the girlfriend’s mom, who denied giving him any type of check, the police were quickly dispatched to the bank, whereupon the young man was promptly arrested for not only forgery, but unlawfully carrying a weapon and possession of pot. Whatever this guy was smoking must have been really potent!

CHECK OUT LANEY

This week’s Behind the Scenes is unusually long. For all those who live in Cass County and who have questions about your newest sheriff, Paul Laney, it goes into depth with his answers and leaves little to wonder about. If anyone has any qualms about what Sheriff Laney has changed or is doing and his overall philosophy about operations within this very large segment of Cass County government, this piece should answer whatever someone isn’t sure about. And for all those who have wondered about why the insignia on the Cass County Sheriff squad cars now have “LANEY” installed, he answers that as well.

Now, if I could just get some judges, prosecutors, commissioners, city council reps, mayors and other local representatives from both sides of the Red River who make decisions affecting the rest of us to be as forthcoming, we might all begin to under

A sign of laziness - 4/25/2008

SOMETIMES...PEOPLE REALLY ARE ANNOYING!

Recently I’ve begun to notice I have less tolerance for all sorts of things I once just let roll by. Like the schmuck who enters a door right in front of you, but lets it fall closed before you quite get there? God forbid someone should actually hold the flippin’ door open for someone else! Or, you and another person – neither of you really paying total attention to where you are going – suddenly either bump into one another or have a very near miss. Do you say “excuse me”? Does the other person? Do you get immediately agitated? I usually get the bejesus scared out of me and then either crack up and say “excuse me” or something. But I always let the other person know I’m sorry. Which type of reaction do you have?

The people who really blow my mind are the walkers or bicycle riders who think they have the same rights as cars do. Okay, fine. Go ahead, ride that two-wheeler right smack dab down the middle of the street if you want, but if you can’t get it up to at least 30 miles an hour, GET THE HECK OUT OF MY WAY!

Another one that I find irritating are the guys standing at the top of the freeway ramp on Eighth Street South (a.k.a., Hwy. 75) holding a sign with something scrawled saying, “anything will help” or “need help – past vet” or whatever. My theory has always been, if you want something more than likely you need to work to get it. Our son and I drove by one of these people in the last two weeks and Michael said, “Ya know... Burger King has a sign for help of some sort in their window.” We just looked at each other as I took the “texas T” turn into the Holiday Mall plaza and drove to Burger King. Michael went in, got a job application and came back to the car. We made the circle, drove up to the guy still standing with his “help me” sign, and Michael popped out quickly and handed him the folded up application saying something like, “Maybe this will help.”

I have no clue if this person bothered to go over to BK or not. My guess is he probably thought we were being jerks. And yeah, we were – sorta. But if someone can stand by the side of a road for hours on end holding a sign asking for “help” or that says “need food” or whatever, it just seems to me they should be able to at least push a broom for a few bucks.

RECENT RESPONSES AND OTHER EMAILS

Without a doubt, my column about oral surgeons and the dental industry (note: I did not say “racket”) brought out all sorts of emails and comments. The majority of emails said they agreed, and many wanted the name of my dentist, whom I praised for not only being a good dentist, but because we don’t need to mortgage our house for a filling after we see him. For all of you who asked who he is, I have bad news. I did call him and ask if he is taking any more new patients. No, not at this time. He said he’s already booked solid with a schedule that will take him into the next three to four months. The good news is that he said his brother is also a dentist, over in Fargo, and he has some openings. His name is Dr. Peter Mathison, and he’s located in the Butler Building, on Page Drive (off of 13th Avenue South).

If he’s even half the dentist my dentist (his brother) is, you will be in good hands. How much he charges, I have no clue. All I can say is, there seem to be a lot of people unable to afford dentistry work. I am beginning to think the old ugly green greedy troll crawled up into the space where a heart once pumped for some of these doctors. Wonder what will happen in the next five to ten years when they, too, are faced with governmental control (a.k.a., national health coverage) over how much they can actually charge? If things keep up as they are – it won’t be long.

YOU GET WHAT YOU ELECTED

Now that the specials are about to descend upon the homeowners in Moorhead’s new northeastern side of town, many have decided to sit up, take notice and actually say something!! Well, gee, folks... where were you last fall when only two people decided to run against your incumbent city council member? The same two people who had less chance of winning than a snowball’s chance in Haiti. Did any one of you who are protesting your new specials consider that maybe it’s time for a change in City Hall? Apparently not. Too little and way too late, folks. That boat has sailed and the only thing you can do is eat it and hope you can withstand the heartburn.

Perhaps this is a lesson for others in the remaining wards to learn: if you don’t pay attention, don’t get involved, don’t care who wins or who is in office – sooner or later everyone pays, in one way or another. Think about it.

A not-much-labor-saving device - 4/17/2008

COMPUTERS...THE ULTIMATE “JERICHO WALL” for AMERICA

Originally, when I began this week’s column, I had an entirely different topic in mind. However, as with all things in life (and I’m beginning to think...especially mine), at the last moment something invariably happens that turns the entire wagon upside down to change the whole she-bang!

The “something” in this instance was my @$*%&^ freakin’ computer!!! WHOEVER decided these wonderful desk top boxes would make life “easier” was either totally insane, a masochist or an idiot savant from hell! Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, even our local hero Doug Burgum can have their computers! Personally, I would give anything to go back to using my trusty Cannon typewriter any day rather than have to fight with this “technical wonder” of the 21st century!

Makes life easier?? Saves time?? Please, do tell me how! Ninety percent of the workforce uses time from work and at home when they might be doing something far more useful than sending emails back and forth (yes – this would include me). Half of us who have been forced to use computers on a daily basis for our jobs would rather not, and even more than that have less chance of “fixing” the damn things when they go caplooey on us. Why? One reason is, in order for Gates and his ilk to continue to soak billions from the rest of us they change programs EVERY YEAR. About the time I’ve learned something important – like figuring out how to copy something and then paste it onto a different file – one of Microsoft’s brilliant gurus decides to update and change something.

I don’t need my computer to do anything elaborate... such as help me design a web page or reconstruct a picture or draw and frame pictures or do anything more than give me a simple format to send a document or write a column on. I have about twenty-five “tools” on my computer and I don’t need but TWO OF THEM!!!

Would it be that difficult for the geniuses who have led to more confusion and wasted time in my life to just produce a SIMPLE PROGRAM FOR DUMMIES like me??

So, if there is anyone out there who knows how to DEPROGRAM my computer so that it will let me write a column or copy a document from one file to another WITHOUT having a “text box” around it, I would certainly love to hear from you.

A WORD ABOUT LETTERS

I personally get many emails a week from readers regarding what I’ve written in past columns. I do love hearing from anyone willing to take the time to comment, even when it isn’t in agreement and especially when it is. Many of the emails I get have insights and information that would be wonderful to print and pass on to others who read The FM Extra. Some have even asked about why their comments haven’t been printed. There is a simple reason for that... we cannot print a letter or email without knowing who it is coming from. An email address simply isn’t enough. A name and a phone number to verify that the person actually sent the email (or letter) must be part of the letter/email or it simply won’t get printed.

The FM Extra would love to print many more letters and emails, so if you have anything you would like to say, please just attach your name and phone number. Or, the best way to send an email or letter for printing is by sending it to: tom@thefmextra.com. Tom Pantera is the editor of the paper, not me. I’m just one of several columnists.

For those of you who know me personally and email me or receive personal emails from me, you need not worry that yours will be printed – not unless you print “FOR PUBLICATION” on them. I am very guarded regarding emails in particular. Unless I call and ask for permission about a comment or email you send me, or unless you specifically ask for it to be published. I work from home and no one knows my email passwords except me.

HAPPY “39th” BIRTHDAY, CAROL NORBY!

A big bite out of the budget. 4/11/2008

WHAT A RACKET!

I don’t know when doctors began “branching out” and going into “specialized” fields. But no doubt it made sense. If a doctor was more interested in brains, become a neurologist. If the heart was her thing, become a heart specialist.

I can’t remember in my lifetime when there wasn’t a “specialist” for every part of the body.

I do remember when dentists did everything. Heck, in the smaller cities, they even applied braces to a kid’s teeth, as well as cleaned them, pulled them, and filled them. Try finding a dentist today that does all those things and I guarantee you he’s either 75 years old or lives in a one-horse town.

I like our dentist. A lot. He is conscientious, reliable, has a good sense of humor and doesn’t gouge his patients to the point they’d rather let their teeth fall out than pay another dime to get them fixed. The one thing he won’t do is pull wisdom teeth. That’s where the rub comes.

Apparently there are three types of dentists. There’s the “we fix ’em, fill ’em, crown ’em, and clean ’em” dentist. There’s the “we straighten ’em and you can pay us until the end of time” orthodontist. And, in the last decade or so, there’s the “we’ll pull it while you declare bankruptcy” “oral specialist,” who has maneuvered his way into the mouth market.

Our 23-year-old daughter who is graduating from college this year needs to have her wisdom teeth extracted. Unfortunately, our dentist won’t take them out. Instead, he referred her to a well known “oral specialist.” I knew from prior experience when our son had his wisdom teeth removed, this was going to be more than just a “slight” dent in the pocketbook. So, I asked for an estimate of what the costs would be. I’m just glad I wasn’t driving when I got the phone call. HOLY HANNAH! A “tad” over a thousand dollars – and that’s AFTER INSURANCE pays their portion. I wanted to say, “Hey! She’s only having four teeth removed – NOT ALL 32!!” However, before I came out of shock, the dental assistant proceeded to explain that our daughter has “impacted” wisdom teeth and it makes it more difficult to extract them (instinctively, my next reaction was, “Oh, really? Can I see the xrays?”). I thanked the dental assistant and hung up.

Our daughter has always worked part-time jobs since she was in high school. Never once has she taken us for granted and we’ve been more than happy to help her as much as we can to get through school. That includes medical and dental bills. When she heard what taking out her wisdom teeth would cost, she is the one who said, “No. They don’t hurt and I can wait until I get a job.” As a mother, I’m ripped apart because I feel it is our responsibility to provide her with whatever she needs. As a consumer, I’m infuriated.

Yes, this jaw-and-face place offers “no interest loans” and I think that’s just great for anyone who has something major – like half their face replaced or all their teeth removed. But, we’re talking FOUR – count ’em, two on the top and two on the bottom – that need to be pulled. When including what our insurance would have covered and what we would have paid for the remaining balance, that’s darn near $500 PER TOOTH! That is insane.

I don’t know if these dentists know what they are doing to the average family’s budget, and who knows if they would care if they did? But we are one family who is not about to take out another loan for four teeth.

Anyone have a good set of pliers?

EXCITING NEWS FOR BARGAIN HUNTERS

If you have not seen what is new in the old art gallery building across from where the old Archie’s, a.k.a. Bargains, once was, you should.

HEIDI’S HOME CONSIGNMENT SHOPPE is new, and while everything may be purchased on consignment, this definitely is NOT your granny’s odds and ends she consented to finally being rid of. Nope, this is a store with fresh items, designer art pieces and photography that are “one of a kind” versus buying something that has been reproduced hundreds of times. There are unique items such as fun and funky décor pieces and accent pieces, vases and specialized furniture for those who appreciate the unusual and have an eclectic style or are seeking “conversation” pieces that will fit that special place in their home.

What you won’t find are appliances that have been recycled so many times even the dumpyard refuses them or, for that matter, any type of appliances, computer equipment, radios, televisions or basically the type of crappy junk one finds at a garage sale. No “house ware” items or tacky knickknacks. No worn-out clothing, outgrown sports gear or “slightly used” anything else.

If you are an artist or a hobbyist with a special talent and have a special something you would like to market but don’t have the time, space or knowhow to get your item sold, this is the place to contact. You can contact HEIDI’S HOME CONSIGNMENT SHOPPE by email: hhcshoppe@gomoorhead. com, or call (218) 236-0775, or just bop in and take a look for yourself. The address is: 1716 Center Ave. W., Dilworth. Just hang a sharp right at the bottom of the 34th St. overpass (or sharp left from Hwy 10). If you know where the old Bargains still stands, you can’t miss it.

Questions linger on YMCA project - 4/4/2008

QUESTIONS, YES. ANSWERS? NOT SO MUCH

My publisher was ecstatic upon learning that Moorhead may “help” build a new YMCA facility. But then, John Kolness lives in Hendrum, not Moorhead. Other than paying for a membership, his pocketbook won’t be touched should Moorhead go ahead with this project. As a taxpaying property owner in Moorhead, I, too, am not against the “Y” building a new facility in Moorhead, provided it is something the majority of other property owning taxpayers want as well. Regarding that, I have a few questions that I am sure someone intimately involved with this proposal can answer.

I’ll begin with the so-called “survey” (presumably) of Moorhead citizens gauging if indeed this is something the majority actually want or will use. According to graphs I have, the greatest percentage of “users” who would use the fitness and wellness programs amounted to a total of 43 percent. Not even half. Of the remaining programs offered or that will be used, their survey only showed downward percentages.

The Moorhead City Council approved entering into a “partnership” with the YMCA. This project is expected to cost $10 million. Moorhead’s portion will be $2.5 million. The remaining $7.5 million will be up to the YMCA to produce in private funding. That in itself sounds like a pretty decent deal, right? Except… when did the Moorhead City Fathers (and Mothers) ever ask, I mean ASK, like with a vote of the people, whether they really want to be a part of this project? Yes, I know, I know. As Laurie Winterfelt-Shanks pointed out to me not so terribly long ago, “That’s what the people voted us into office for… to make these decisions.” I realize this is the way it is laid out in the city charter and what has been an accepted practice up until now, but so what? Has no one ever thought that perhaps it’s time to change the city charter? That maybe it’s time the people of Moorhead began deciding their city’s financial fate? The City Council members need a majority to pass anything that will cost money. Why can’t the taxpaying people of Moorhead have the same privilege? Particularly when it may cost the citizens in higher taxes or revenues from capital improvement funds – usually used for things like street repairs or other upgrades?

Another question I have is the “office space” that will be part and parcel of this deal. Office space? For whom? Moorhead’s Parks and Recreation Department? $2.5 million for 25,000 square feet of gym space and office space? The land is nearly paid off already. There’s approximately $140,000 left to pay for that. The payments for the YMCA project will amount to $225,000 PER YEAR for the NEXT 20 YEARS.

The good news is that the YMCA will pay for the operation and maintenance, while the City will own the gym space. The bad news, according to Holly Heitkamp, Moorhead’s Parks and Rec manager, is that, while the City will have priority to use the gym, it will have to continue using the elementary schools because there still will not be enough space for additional programs offered. Question: What happens if the YMCA doesn’t garner enough membership to make it worth keeping open? Stranger things have happened. Will the YMCA be bound by contract for the next twenty years, and the City of Moorhead as well, to keep it open as a YMCA facility?

How is this going to be paid for? Two options have been discussed. Option 1: with property taxes. Option 2: with city capital improvement funds. Every year the City of Moorhead raids Moorhead Public Service of nearly $1.4 million, which the City allocates to different capital projects. In fact, part of the last payment for the land of $140,000 will come from the 2008 capital improvement fund. They will then add an additional $52,000 of “unallocated” fund balance for a total of $192,000 toward the first yearly payment of $225,000. Frankly, I’m not clear at all where the remaining $33,000 will come from. Perhaps someone on the City Council would be kind enough to explain that?

I asked how this will affect MPS – as in, should Moorhead citizens “look forward to” having to pay higher heating and electrical costs? I mean, this is just one more way the City has found to continually drain MPS’s revenues. I was told “no.” I wondered whether the MPS board has any say in this. Apparently no, they don’t have any more say than the citizens of Moorhead. All any of us can do is cross our fingers and hope the seven council members who voted for this project have a clue about what they are doing.

I have one last question, however. It seems to me that the City of Moorhead “invested” in the new GYM at the Good Shepherd Church within the last year or so; at least it was prior to Bruce Messelt leaving – not leaving his church, Good Shepherd, but leaving as manager of the City. Are we actually getting City sponsored usage from our investment? How often and for what? If anyone knows about that, do please email me.

I have absolutely nothing against having a YMCA facility within the city of Moorhead. Hopefully, my family and I will be able to afford a membership. I just wish the City wasn’t paying for it. Whatever happened to the good old days when malls and hotels and exercise facilities were built by entrepreneurs and private enterprise and cities kept taxes low and heating cost affordable for their tax payers?

OH! GROW UP, AMERICA!

Recently the news was all aflutter about a 12- year-old boy in Fergus Falls who decided to “streak.” At this writing, nothing as yet has been determined about what the authorities will do regarding this young boy’s behavior.

First of all, my gut instinct tells me the day this kid decided to fly bare-butt naked outside the confines of his home had a lot to do with the day he did it: April 1. Hello? Ring any bells out there for anyone? Second, we’re talking about a 12-year-old! Third, we’re talking about an innocent prank that hurt absolutely NO ONE. Yeah, yeah, undoubtedly somewhere there’s a shrink or an underpaid, bored police officer who’s conjuring up all sorts of sick scenarios about “what will his next act be? Sexual assault?!” Oh, pulleeazzee! What? It would be better that this kid should bring a knife and handcuffs or a gun to school with a master plan to knock out the teacher, then bind and gag him or her? If streaking was the worst thing we needed to fear our 12-year-olds are doing, society as a whole would be in a much better place these days. Unfortunately, we all know this is not the case.

We’ve got states promoting that all 12-year-old girls should receive inoculations to prevent cervical cancer today because they are increasingly becoming sexually active. There are 8-, 9-, and 10-year-olds masterminding plots to get rid of their teachers. Minneapolis has less than 50 percent of its high school students actually graduating! Call me a liberal all you want, but it seems to me we have just a few more problems with our youngest generation of children than one kid who decides to streak on April Fool’s Day – ya think?

For ten years, I operated a childcare facility from my home when our children were growing up. During those ten years I watched – often in amazement – the next and newest “trend” that hit as parents came into our home with their children. Everything from condoning any and nearly all types of temper tantrums and truly spoiled-rotten behaviors but doing little or nothing in terms of discipline because some nimrod wrote a book about not wanting to “traumatize” the child with “negativity,” all the way to the extreme side of over-disciplining with spankings that actually left bruising. The ’80s were a very bad time for both children and parenting. The norm was for Mom to go back into the work force as soon as possible. There were few “role models” as guides for childcare providers in the ’80s. We had state rules and licensing regulations supervised by overzealous or burned-out social workers. The generation of children brought up in the ’80s and ’90s was literally brought up by surrogate mothers (and other types) who tried their best to take care of a house filled with children, most of whom didn’t belong to them, for the better part of nine or ten hours a day, five days a week. And then we wonder WHY the generation of people now in their early to late 20s isn’t as “mature” as we were at their ages! Or why so many can’t commit to relationships or jobs or “put the cart before the horse” (such as, “let’s have a baby, THEN decide if we still want to stay together.”).

Society has gone from the common-sense approach and realizations that “kids will be kids” and brushing off many behaviors as typical “experimenting” or just pushing the limits, to having an attitude of total intolerance for any type of aberrant behavior. A lot has depended on what is popular among the educational wing and cultural icons of the day or who just wrote the latest book on what should be done or how to raise the perfect teenager. Combine that with less tolerance in schools, by law enforcement, and by the courts. Top that off with MORE regulations and hand-tying for those who actually spend the majority of a child’s day with them – all the way from infant-care providers to high school teachers and educators. Is there any wonder there is little actual “control” any more? The idea that we can be a “one-rule world” is ridiculous, and as long as we pretend it is working, we will continue to make stories like a 12-year-old streaking a major headliner. On the other hand, having three children under the age of 12 plotting to do possible bodily harm to a teacher and NOT imposing some truly severe punishment on these three – that’s our answer to solving our child-raising crisis? Man! I really am glad my child-raising days are over.

Things looking good for all four cities 3/28/2008

BREAKFAST BRAGGING

The Fargo-Moorhead Chamber of Commerce invited The FM Extra to their breakfast recently – the one in which all four mayors of our quad-city area recounted their cities’ latest achievements. I don’t recall having lost the coin toss on who would attend, but since my editor decided it was me, I pulled my creaking bones out of bed at the ugly hour of 6:45 a.m. for the event that began at 7:30 a.m.

I’ll say this much: if the FM Chamber of Commerce would host my breakfasts every morning, I’d have no problem dragging my continually aging body out of bed! Wow! What a deal. One thing is for certain, David Martin and his associates of the FM Chamber certainly know how to host an event. Even early morning events. As for the Marriott: I was duly impressed, as the scrambled eggs did not taste like rubber – and that’s not a feat easily accomplished when serving an entire conference room of people. Personally, I can’t scramble eggs for more than three that don’t bounce on the plate!

Once Mayor Walaker finally arrived (rumor has it, once Fargo’s number one man remembered Moorhead is east of the Red River he found his way over; if it can’t be geographically annexed, the Mayor sorta forgets where other places are) the “what our city has done” boasting began, each mayor taking his turn.

The major issue for Mayor Walaker and Fargo that morning was water. Preventing too much and preparing for a time when there may not be enough. Needless to say, having been in Bismarck only a day before, discussing flood control, that was the central topic for Mayor Walaker. It boiled down to his wanting a 500-year flood control wall, but unless the residents of Fargo also want to pay a whole lot more for property assessments and taxes, that probably isn’t going to happen.

West Fargo’s Mayor Rich Mattern talked in generalities about the progress West Fargo has made and is continuing to make. They have a new school and plenty of tax revenue from all the shops and restaurants on 13th Avenue to pay for it. Things are pretty good in West Fargo. The only problem I can foresee is: What will they do when a quarter of their newer housing developments are sitting empty? That may or may not happen. A lot will depend on the Fed’s delivery on bailing out foreclosure properties. This isn’t affecting only West Fargo, however. Look around. Can you remember when there have been as many houses for sale as there are presently?

Mayor Coalwell of Dilworth sat upright and proud while talking about the new Walmart Superstore off Highway 10. The plans for the nowdefunct Bargains were skimmed, with no real discussion regarding future plans for the site. Oddly enough, nothing was mentioned regarding the new Walmart’s choice of location – especially considering that, in order to get back to Highway 10 when leaving Walmart, one must drive a block north, make a U-turn and then head south. I did discuss this with Moorhead’s new city manager, Mike Redlinger, however. More about that later.

Mayor Voxland of Moorhead pontificated about the “numerous” new projects Moorhead is involved with, naming Menards, Trollwood and the 100 acre park / soccer complex as examples. Oddly enough, nothing about when Greenwood Trailer Court; when THE major eyesore in the middle of town will be removed wasn’t mentioned. Or when, if ever, residents can look forward to seeing stores open in the Holiday Mall complex off 24th Avenue South. Or if the Moorhead Center Mall’s newest owners plan to actually do anything with the mall – like bring in new tenants? But then, maybe Mayor Voxland doesn’t know the answer to these questions. After all, these are issues that have already passed the council’s approval. Now they’re on to new projects, like building a complex for the YMCA. One can only hope this “community” center will be far more multi-faceted than the original “Moorhead Sports Center,” a.k.a. hockey arena, turned out to be.

The best slice of news derived confirmed information I’d heard about the plan for 15th Avenue North in Moorhead. Construction should begin this year on building and widening 15th Avenue North, all the way from Dilworth to Moorhead’s north-side toll bridge. In 2012, the toll is supposed to taken off the bridge that leads into the north side of Fargo. This will meet with Fargo’s plan to widen the 12th Avenue North bridge, west of NDSU, all the way to 10th Street North.

Connecting the two sides of north Fargo and north Moorhead is good news. Especially for Moorhead. If there has ever been an area ignored more or for a longer period of time than north Moorhead, I can’t imagine where it is.

All in all, the residents in all four of our “quad” cities are doing pretty well. We certainly have it much better than in many places. We don’t have pollution or major racial issues. Gangs are always a lingering threat, but our city police and sheriff’s departments have managed to keep them at bay so they aren’t a daily concern. Our schools are actually teaching and preparing our children for a future many of us have no knowledge about or may not even see. Our healthcare systems are as expensive as anywhere, but when we need them, they are there. We have excellent sources of information from our local television and radio stations from people who live in, care about and are involved with our communities and our neighbors. If we want to, all we really need to do is pick up the phone and call any one of the people who represent us on our local city commission or city councils – all the way from the “top” person on down the line – and give them our “what for” opinions on any given issue. That can’t be done just anywhere. Most of us still have jobs and more are being created due to the need of new technologies and industries for energy and agriculture.

No, the Fargo-Moorhead area isn’t Shangri La – at least, not yet. But it is getting better. Now, if someone could just get a message to the snow gods to have winter officially end in FEBRUARY, I’d never complain again!

Nothing is private in cyberspace - 3/21/2008

THE ILLUSION OF “PRIVATE”

Last week’s whining from the call girl ex-governor Spitzer ruined his life over, about someone using her “My Space” photos, only underlined how totally ignorant – no, forget the niceties, how STUPID – the public is about what they perceive as being “private.”

What would make anyone believe anything would remain “private” once it is publicized? I mean, come on people, is anyone really that naive? In recent months, embarrassing photos of high school athletes who have been “caught” with or even near booze at parties have gotten them thrown off teams. The federal government has actually gone before the highest court in the land to make it possible for any agency to subpoena computer logs and hard drives in an effort to support whatever case they may have against a person or a company. The public has been warned repeatedly that e-mails and text messages are equivalent to papertrailed documents. Where does anyone get the idea anything sent into cyberspace is “private”?

About the only thing less private was the old telephone system shared by multiple parties. Not used in the last 40 or 50 years, granted, but the old “party-line” telephone system, especially for those in rural areas, was the next best thing to having one’s very own telegraph. That is, if you wanted a piece of information to get out and into the ears of every wagging tongue available.

WHO WANTS TO KNOW?

Well, for starters, parents. Teenagers love taking pictures of themselves and their friends. Especially during party time. Got a freshman away at college somewhere you haven’t seen any grades for recently and who is going through a boatload of money? Try Googling their name and see what appears. Then, Google a person you don’t know very well and see what appears. After peering at what might seems to be no big deal, consider anyone that may someday become an important person in your future – say, a prospective employer. Is there anything on a website anywhere you really feel uncomfortable having someone who doesn’t know the “real” you see?

According to an article I read recently, there are companies all over the country using privacy “research” organizations that can run background checks on any new hire or prospective hire. They go online and find whatever they find on their candidates for jobs and if someone has ever used My Space or Facebook or any number of other sites for photos or blogs, it will be found. The New York Post recently quoted a consultant in this business, referring to Google, as saying a person’s “results are the new resumes” of today’s generation.

WHAT CAN/WILL BE FOUND

Today’s “cyber-skeletons” will dig up lies and truths about a person’s past and present. Anything from actual qualifications for a job, criminal records, posted confidential information regarding prior employers, not-so-nice photographs, how much “fun” was had during a celebration, and who as well as “what” was used to have the fun. Be careful of using dubious or very tacky screen names also. Some employers want to believe they are hiring sensible, level-headed people to work for them – not smart-alecks with a penchant for crudeness or rebellion.

The good news for anyone who may become a little sickened with the knowledge that they have left a bread-crumb trail leading back to themselves that could potentially sabotage a chance for their number one job pick: There are companies on the rise that can remove offensive or other such material about you from the Internet using something called ”recursive searching.” By scouring cyberspace, they will find all the information that is available about someone and have it removed – for a price.

The Internet is an indispensable research tool. But if you have used it for finding dates or promoting the “fun and silly” side of your personality with risky photos that may be hysterically funny now, but not so much a year or five years from now, it may be time to rethink how and what you really want anyone or everyone to see. More importantly, how will whatever is out there today affect your future tomorrows?

POSTING DRUNK DRIVERS

From the e-mails I received regarding how some of you feel about whether we should or should not place repeat drunk drivers’ photos in our paper along with those who are now wanted for outstanding warrants, the numbers were against doing it. Most were against posting even the repeat drunk drivers’ photos or even their names. However, we’re always open for new ideas and pages our reading public would like to have printed. The FM Extra is a continual “work in progress” and, with your help, we’ll keep it that way.

Picture this: repeat drunk drivers

Recently I was asked by an FM Extra reader why we don’t publish the pictures of repeat drunk drivers. “That’s a good question,” I replied, at the same time wondering how many people in the F-M area we’d manage to really torque off by publishing their photo for one stupid slip-up in a 20- or 30-year career of driving.

I’m not inclined to want to do this. Why not? Primarily because we couldn’t publish anyone’s picture until they were found guilty. Secondly, as I said before, I don’t see any benefit for anyone by humiliating someone who by chance managed to have one drink more than the state blood alcohol content will allow them, especially considering the limit is .08. After all, it isn’t as though this person doesn’t already have enough grief to contend with.

No, I am not in favor of drunk drivers getting away with driving while intoxicated. What I guess I don’t understand is how we’ve gone from having the legal intoxication level being just fine for years and years, but then suddenly that level is no longer okay. The Feds basically blackmail the state legislators to drop the legal level of intoxication to .08 – a level no one is comfortable with or secure in feeling they know where their limit should be and when to pack it in and mosey on home. From the numbers of DUI and DWI arrests, it would seem this has really not solved the public dilemma, has it?

Does this affect me? Not really. I consider myself a non-drinker. I am not a total teetotaler – I probably have three or four Irish coffees in a year. I have never been able to get beyond the smell of beer. Wine gives me a headache. Two drinks of any hard alcohol and I am spending the rest of the night hugging the white bowl in the bathroom. I don’t know, it just has never made much sense to me to do something that was going to make me feel like warmed-over death the next day. As a cigarette smoker and a caffeine addict, I’m far too familiar with addiction. Alcoholism just isn’t something I need or want to add to my resume. However, having said all that, I still don’t have anything against anyone who wants to go out and have a good time and imbibe till their heads fall off – so long as they are responsible about it. That, needless to say, means NOT driving.

As far as publishing the names and pictures of those who are repeat DUI and DWI offenders, I don’t think I’d have a problem with that. One time in a lifetime should be ample for anyone to learn never to do that again. Twice or more? Naw, there’s little explanation for that.

What I’d like to know is how the readers feel. Do you think publishing the pictures and names of repeat drunk driving offenders would help keep some of these folks off the roadways? We know from our local county sheriff’s departments that our publishing the pictures of people with outstanding warrants on them has helped considerably in locating some of them. But would it stop someone from drinking and driving? Email us at sooasheim@aol.com or om@thefmextra.com with your opinion and let us know what you think.

SPEAKING OF ADDICTION…

As I sit writing this, at 4:00 in the morning, my eyes hurt, my head aches and I have to stay up for several more hours. Why? Doctor’s orders! Go figure. My headache is from lack of caffeine. I haven’t been able to have a real cup of coffee in more than 24 hours. I haven’t had much energy today and to say that I’ve been “a tad” cranky might be understating my mood. Coffee. I’ve been drinking coffee since my mother began bringing me a cup every morning just to lure me from my bed when I was six years old. Pathetic?

Yes, I know. But it’s my addiction and I have no intention of giving it up. So whatever this “no caffeine” test shows, I hope my doctor likes the results because I am not doing this again for another ten years.

I cannot imagine how incredibly difficult it must be to get rid of a drug addiction. Withdrawal from caffeine is not fun. What horrors must someone go through purging their system from the clutches of alcohol or cocaine or meth or a dozen other poisons?

For those who have managed to not only rid their bodies of the poisons they have used, but to stay away from them – my humble congratulations to all of you. I can only admire anyone who has gone through the hell of an addiction and made it back again.

And yes, that would include tobacco as well. What I’ve noticed more so from those who have fought the battles of drug and alcohol addiction than from those who have given up tobacco is an attitude. I’ve known a number of recovering alcoholics in my life. They often reflect a quiet wisdom whereas many ex-tobacco users have a flair of superiority.

Maybe they actually deserve it. I have never tried to quit smoking, mostly because I would rather die in my home than in a jail cell for ringing the neck of some pompous ex-smoker who, at the wrong time or on the wrong day, said, “Eeewww! Are you still smoking?”

Pawlenty as veep could be good news for Minnesota - 2/29/2008

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS

Hard as it may be for some to imagine (especially those with a limited capacity to imagine anything), I actually am a “half full-half empty” sort of person. Even in times of horrific events, I believe there’s a reason – a shred of hope somewhere that bad things happen in order for a better resolution. So it is with thoughts of John McCain picking Governor Pawlenty as his vice-presidential nominee. Absolutely! I say – great! Now, follow the logic here, folks, if thinking about McCain becoming the next president doesn’t make your hair stand on end – imagine this 71-year-old, war-torn Vietnam POW Veteran and ex-cancer patient actually making it all the way to the White House, with Tim Pawlenty by his side to “step in” should McCain have a recurrence of cancer or a heart attack or stroke. At age 71, facing the rigors of being the president of the United States, it is a real possibility and definitely one more likely to happen to a 71-year-old than someone a generation his junior.

That’s the bad news.

The good news is, at least for Minnesotans, we’d get rid of Tim Pawlenty much sooner than anticipated as he was re-elected not so long ago for another four-year term.

The bad news in this scenario is, McCain has already come out and pledged “no new taxes.” Try as I might, I cannot imagine what the infrastructure for the entire country (especially the part that’s federally funded) might look like should Pawlenty have the last word on reconstruction and repairs! The bridge collapse on I-35W in Minneapolis would be minor in comparison to the devastation that could easily occur should someone with the foresight of Tim Pawlenty be in charge. If that doesn’t give you heartburn, nothing will. The good news is, even in McCain’s muddled mind, putting a name on a “short list” doesn’t mean that name will pop out of the hat and actually be submitted as an actual running mate. What could Pawlenty offer in return? He wasn’t able to maneuver enough votes to give McCain a win against Romney in his own state!

The bad news is, unfortunately for us who continue to live in the great state of Minnesota, we’re going to be stuck with Tim Pawlenty for the duration of his term. The good news is, at least we can look forward to having our rural and county roads, state highways and bridges repaired now. However, don’t thank Tim Pawlenty or Morrie Lanning; they didn’t want to budge on the issue and, true to form, even when they’re wrong, they stand firm.

PERMITS AND LICENSES

While I don’t think it’s a bad thing to require roofing companies to purchase licenses and permits, I do wonder what this is supposed to accomplish.

Just because a roofing company can come in and go through the maze of paperwork and bureaucracy, is that going to guarantee the public that the roofing company will stand behind its work? What will permits and licenses secured by Moorhead and Fargo mean to the consumer? In Moorhead anyone re-roofing a home must remove all the old shingles and, during the time the job is being finished, a building official from the City of Moorhead will periodically inspect the job to ensure the regulations are being complied with. Kurt Wentzel of the City of Moorhead would prefer people pay attention to two issues of consumer protection: a) don’t agree to pay anyone up-front money to reroof or remodel your home, and make certain they clean up after the job is finished; b) ask to see a license. If the contractor is from out of state and has a license in another state, that does not mean they have passed muster in Minnesota. If legally licensed in Minnesota, they should have a permit to present in Minnesota. There are exclusions, such as a homeowner doing his own reroofing or remodeling job. While they do need permits, a license is not required to work on your own home. Permits are required for all remodeling projects.

Fargo has a different plan in mind. The City Commission passed a recent ordinance that is still a “work in progress.” Ron Strand, head of building codes and permits for the city of Fargo, wasn’t able to give any true and definitive answers at this time as to exactly how this all will work, primarily because the Fargo City Commission just passed the idea of requiring a license for anyone doing roofing construction. This roofing license will be in addition to the alreadyrequired contracting licenses needed. The roofing license will be for a minimum of a year and could possibly become a “multi-yearly” license.

I tried to find out what the benefits to the consumer will be by requiring more stringent licensing and/or permits. So far, as far as I can tell, the problem is not in having enough roofers or even licensed roofers. The problem is going to be having the roofs inspected. There simply are not enough inspectors on either side of the river. In Moorhead’s case, the requirement of having permits versus licensing could prove to be a costly endeavor as inspectors are trained employees. Fargo officials have thought ahead enough to realize they cannot afford to hire an unending number of inspectors, unless they want to eventually come back to the citizens of Fargo for the revenue it would cost.

Hopefully, each city will figure out a method that will enable roofers to do their jobs as there are approximately 1,500 known homeowners in need of roof repairs to date – and we have no idea what the weather will bring this summer. Maybe it’s time for homeowners to congregate for a good, old-fashioned “roof raising” in their neighborhoods, something similar to the ones farmers used to hold for their neighboring farm families. I think they called them “barn raising parties.” Why not? Sure would be less expensive, and think of all the beer-drinking stories to be told afterward!

CONSUMER TIPS

• Did you know: peppers with three “bumps” on the bottom indicate a sweeter tasting pepper? Four “bumps” on the bottom mean these are better for cooking and will remain firmer.

• Add garlic immediately to a recipe for a lighter taste of garlic. For a stronger taste, wait until the end of the recipe to add the garlic.

• Conserve calories and expand the amount of storebought frosting by whipping it with a mixer for a few minutes before spreading it on cakes or cupcakes. By whipping the canned frosting you can double the amount.

• The Forum is good for stopping garden weeds, too! Work the soil around plants, then place wet newspapers in layers around the plants, overlapping as you continue to cover with mulch and – voila! No more weeds.

• Be gone, Minnesota mosquitoes! Rid yourself of pesky biters by placing a small dryer sheet in your pocket.

• Can’t see through fogged-up car windows? Use a chalkboard eraser instead of a cloth or paper towels. Less expensive, better for the environment, and it can be tucked away conveniently in the glove compartment.

Thanks to Vicky Brantley of Chattanooga, Tenn., for sending these “just making life easier” tips to me to share with our FM Extra readers. I don’t know which work and which don’t, so if you try one or more and think
they help, let me know.

Watch out for McCain on war, health care - 2/15/2008

McCain Backers, Think Twice

This week the Speaker of Iraq’s “parliament” threatened to break up and disband the legislature. Because of the rampant distrust amongst its members, a budget cannot be agreed upon for adoption. In fact, they cannot even set a date for future provincial elections. As for how well the Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s “government” is working? Considering over half his 40 Cabinet posts are vacant – “working” is a dream that hasn’t been achieved yet.

So, for all those backers of John McCain who agree we should remain in Iraq “even it if it takes 100 more years”… ask yourself, is this really where you want your grandchildren and, for some, greatgrand children to spend their young adult years, fighting the next generations of Muslim insurgents who hate the American “infidels”?

As for McCain’s plans for guiding America toward health reforms, McCain’s “plan” is to focus on chronic diseases and he is calling for medical compensation to be linked to performance. Someone might want to point out to McCain that that is the same debate that has been going on regarding teachers in our public school systems for close to 15 years and has yet to be resolved. Wouldn’t it be grand if McCain could give us a “two-fer-one” plan and make it work for our public school systems, too? McCain says reimbursements for the treatment of chronic diseases “should be drastically altered.” How? He wants to install a “single payment” plan by way of making everything a doctor treats, tests, cuts, and prescribes medicine for one big bill. Exactly how a person is to pay for a multi-thousand dollar treatment plan for diabetes or epilepsy or MS or fibromyalgia or any one of the hundreds of “chronic” diseases the blossoming baby boomer generation who are all about to become “senior citizens” have presently or will eventually have due to age has not quite been laid out in his planned proposals. Well, with the exception of saying that “people have a duty to live a more healthy lifestyle to prevent diseases.”

Addressing the health care coverage crisis for children, presently McCain’s campaign gurus are proposing a tax credit of $2,500 to those deemed to be in the “low-income” economic brackets and $5,000 for “low income” families who buy their own insurance. Apparently, no one has pointed out to Mr. McCain that it’s the “low income” folks who aren’t insured because they cannot afford health insurance – regardless of any amount of promised tax credits.

So, for all you McCain backers who actually believe John McCain is the only “honest” candidate running for the top job in the land… you might want to think twice.

North Dakota Hanging On to the Past

If the media had more to report in North Dakota, perhaps the events of February 13, 1983, would finally be laid to rest, where they belong. However, crowned as the perpetrators of “North Dakota’s most notorious crime,” Gordon Kahl and his small band of Medina wanna-be Posse Comitatus conspirators find themselves as the headliner every year on the regional paper’s front page. When considering the federal government is doing all in its power to quell any thought of rebellion, foreign or domestic, why anyone finds the acts of an obviously deranged man who spent his last days in a violent tirade, not only for himself but those he killed along his way, as fascinating with any “historical benefit” is definitely beyond me. Gordon Kahl, his son Yori and accomplice Scott Faul were nothing more than a band of disgruntled, tax-evading thugs. Don’t blow them up as being in the same historical category as Paul Revere or those who rebelled at the Boston Tea Party. North Dakotans that truly want to do something about improving your national image and garnering more tourism trade, especially in the western sections of your state, tell the “powers that be” to deep-six the events of Gordon Kahl.

Minnesota---WAKE UP!

The Minnesota Department of Transportation reports Minnesota will need $1.8 BILLION a year for the next 10 years just to “catch up” on its roads, both state and local, as well as on statewide bridge projects. Whining about it will not fix our roads, which all of us need.

So what does our REPUBLICAN governor plan on doing to help this along? VETO the next bill presented by our legislature. Sure, why not? What does he care? If his dream to be on the McCain presidential ticket comes true, and by some disaster half the voters in America lose their minds, he won’t even be living in Minnesota!

Look, people, the gas tax in Minnesota has not been raised since 1988. The gas tax increase is 5 cents. At the most, it would be 7.5 cents per gallon. That would be to feed all the transportation projects and that isn’t going to get passed. Why not? Because, number one, it still won’t finish all the transportation projects that need to be done. We in rural Minnesota don’t need a bonding bill to resolve many of our road problems. We do need a new and higher gas tax to resolve the deficits within the transportation department and to fix our local and state roads, however. Morrie Lanning and Paul Marquart are on opposite sides of the aisle in the legislature, but on this issue they agree. Right now, North Dakota has a higher gas tax on gallons of gas than Minnesota. Now think about this: every station, or just about every station, in the F-M area prices their gas the same. So, where’s the “extra” money going in Minnesota if we’re all paying the same at the pumps, and North Dakota’s gas tax is higher? Where is the extra money going in Minnesota? To the gas station owners? Doubtful. The next in line is the distributors. I think that’s a question someone needs to ask. Another question is, how many Minnesota-owned gas-guzzling cars are being filled on the North Dakota side because Pawlenty in his infinite wisdom decided to punish the tobacco users with an inflated tax, a/k/a “fee”? I’m one of them and from all the cars I see at M&H or Simonson’s in Fargo with Minnesota plates, I know I am not alone.

Epilepsy more common than you think - 2/8/2008

The Minnesota Epilepsy Foundation is offering educational scholarships for students through the Elam Baer and Janis Clay Educational Scholarship Fund. Ten $1,000 scholarships each year for the next five years will be awarded to students who have shown the courage and perseverance to deal with epilepsy and seizures and the obstacles these disorders often present. The Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota administers the Baer-Clay Scholarship Fund. To qualify for the Baer-Clay Scholarship, you must have a diagnosis of epilepsy/seizure disorder, be a high school senior or a high school graduate, provide proof of acceptance to a post-secondary academic or vocational program, live in Minnesota or Eastern North Dakota, and submit an application along with two letters of recommendation.

The application deadline is APRIL 1, 2008. Awards will be announced May 1, 2008.

There is also the UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship, which provides academic financial support for people living with epilepsy or family members or caregivers of anyone living with epilepsy who can demonstrate academic and/or personal achievement. This year UCB will award 30 one-time scholarships as follows: twenty $5,000 scholarships to people living with epilepsy, and another ten $5,000 scholarships to family members or caregivers of people living with epilepsy.

As possibly the last "closet" disease, seizure disorders and epilepsy are still "hush-hush" among the mainstream in America. Primarily because of the complexities involved in diagnosing and treating seizures and epilepsy, few people understand either. Americans are notorious for pretending something doesn't exist until it touches us "up close and personally." The fact is, most of us probably know someone who has a seizure disorder or epilepsy; we just don't know they have a seizure disorder. Epilepsy and seizure disorders have no boundaries regarding whom they affect. Age, race, or creed makes no difference. There are more than 2.7 million Americans who are presently living with epilepsy. In Minnesota there are an estimated 60,000 diagnosed epileptics. The major difference is in what type of seizure disorder a person may have and how they have learned to deal with it. For some it may be little more than a blip on the big screen of life. They learn to "deal" with the disorder and overcome whatever obstacles stand between them and living as normal a life as anyone else. Others have a more difficult time due to a myriad of complications, from inabilities to withstand many medications to substandard support from family or others, alcohol or drug addictions and a host of other factors. But many hundreds of thousands who have epilepsy or a seizure disorder are functioning, welladjusted and productive individuals who just happen to have a medical anomaly that requires them to take medication for an undetermined length of time. It does not mean one is debilitated or necessarily limited in achieving their dreams and goals.

EPILEPSY: FACTS

• Epilepsy is one of the most common disorders of the nervous system.

• “Epilepsy” is a generic term used to define a variety of seizure disorders.

• “Seizure” is a term used to describe a disturbance in the electrical activity of the brain.

• There are more than 20 different kinds of seizures. • One in 10 Americans has had or will have a seizure during some time in his/her life.

• In nearly 70 percent of all cases, there is no known cause. The remaining 30 percent are usually caused by head trauma, brain tumors and strokes, poisoning, infection and maternal injuries.

• Approximately 60 percent of seizure-disorder cases achieve remission after the first year; another 15 percent eventually achieve control upon a later date; 25 percent of seizure-disorder cases resist control and become intractable.

• Not all seizures in every person are grand mal seizures – when someone falls down and goes rigid with muscle contractions. It is highly possible for a seizure-prone person to appear lucid, yet not be aware of their surroundings or movement.

MYTHS and WHAT NOT TO DO

• Do not hold down a person having a seizure or try and stop their movements. You and the person seizing could be hurt.

• NEVER put anything hard in a seizing person's mouth or attempt to hold open the mouth. It is not true that a person can or will swallow his/her tongue. Attempts such as these can injure teeth and jaws.

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE

• Stay calm.

• Time the seizure with a watch.

• Allow the person seizing space, and clear away anything hard or sharp.

• Place something soft and flat under his/her head (like a folded coat).

• If at all possible, turn the person onto one side. This clears the airway and allows saliva to flow out instead of to the back of the throat. • When the seizure is over, make certain the person is able to get home by him/herself or call a friend or relative for them.

• If there is no medical-alert I.D., call for medical assistance.

• If the seizure lasts five minutes or longer, call for medical assistance.

• If breathing is difficult when seizing stops or if a second seizure occurs, call for medical assistance.

• If a woman is pregnant or if a medical I.D. for a different medical condition is found, call for assistance.

• If the person has fallen on a hard surface during the onset of the seizure or if there are signs of injury, especially to the head, call for medical assistance.

Here's the address for more information on epilepsy and seizure disorders: Stephanie Kolari, M.S.W., Program Director, Community Development, Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota, 1600 University Ave. W. #205, St. Paul, MN 55104; (800) 779-0777, ext. 2312; fax, (651) 287.2325; e-mail skolari@efmn.org; Web site, www.efmn.org.

Not-necessarily-public access TV - 2/1/2008

NEWS ON THE NEWS

I spoke recently with Charley Johnson, Director of KXJB and KVLY TV stations in Fargo, about the ongoing dispute between Cable One and his stations. Basically, the argument boils down to two stubborn corporate entities, neither wanting to say “uncle,” so the dispute remains unresolved at this writing.

Exactly how much KXJB and KVLY are asking for reimbursement for their programming from Cable One isn’t clear. One thing that is clear is that this is a phenomenon sweeping the country and is not going to go away. Eventually, Cable One will give in, as right now the stations asking for remuneration are focusing only on programs broadcast in high definition. Not all programs are in high definition right now. Obviously, this will change dramatically in the next two years.

The question is: where does this leave the consumer in terms of paying for cable in the future? The blame can’t be placed on the stations airing the programs—not really. After all, it’s a very expensive proposition and, for the most part, the people picking up the tab are the advertisers. But just like the food chain, it all rolls downhill and at the bottom sit Mr. and Mrs. Consumer.

Another issue affecting the consumer and access to local television programming is with satellite and DirecTV. Presently, anyone living with a dish on top of his or her house is not able to access Moorhead’s Public Access TV channel. For many, this means they are not able to tune into the Moorhead City Council meetings that are broadcast on Cable One. Only Cable One subscribers have access to Moorhead’s Public Access channel. Why? That’s the question I asked Tucker Lucas, who works with Dana Harris at MCAT. Tucker tells me it comes down to political pressure, basically.

Apparently, for some reason the FCC hasn’t seen fit to regulate DirecTV programming as it has cable programming. Cable One is mandated to carry community access channels. DirecTV is not. This can and would change, however, should the DirecTV moguls receive enough “pressure,” complaints, or requests to carry them. The person I spoke with at the DirecTV headquarters gave me the addresses, both snail mail and email, as well as the phone number to call and request an accessible community channel; I will list those at the bottom of this column.

There is more information than just the Commission and City Council meetings, such as notifications and cancellations and the like, available on Moorhead and Fargo’s access channels. Frankly, had I been aware of not being able to receive the access channel prior to our changing from cable, I’m not convinced we would have switched. Nonetheless, this needs to be addressed and, from what MCAT’s Lucas tells me, MCAT would be very happy to bring DirecTV’s signal on board as well.

In the meantime, DirecTV needs to hear from those who want access to their community channels. Contact them. Let them know this is an important piece of programming for you and that you want it offered. Even if you have Cable One and now receive community access channels, think of those you know who have DirecTV and do not have access. And, who knows, you may want to change your viewing service one day.

TO CONTACT DirecTV’s TALKING HEADS: ph: 310-535-5000; to email: go to their website, www.DirecTV.com, and click on “Contact Us” at the bottom; to send a letter: DirecTV, P.O. Box 6550, Greenwood Village, Colorado, 80155-6550.

MSUM MEANS IT---NO SMOKING!

NDSU’s Student Senate has yet to decide to ban smoking on campus. Sandy of KFGO asked for anyone to respond to her question about why. One young man brought up the reasoning of punitive actions for those who are “caught” smoking on campus—that there are none, or at least none that have been set down in writing or within a policy.

This made me wonder what MSUM’s policy is on handling the smokers on campus who are continuing to do so. According to Mike Parks, director of security at MSUM, a new policy is being worked on and until recently only warnings have been given out. As of this writing, three campus violation tickets have been issued and these go to the judicial officer, who will then have a “come to God” session with the offenders. So, for all you behind-the-building- sneaky-petes trying to cop a blow of nicotine… you might want to park away from campus, which usually isn’t too hard, since parking on campus is next to impossible anyway.

JUST A LITTLE GRATITUDE

About a week before Christmas this last year, a wallet was found in the early morning hours at Sherry’s Sugar Shack (a.k.a. Rascals Bar; a.k.a. Jerry’s Bar) with $1,700 in it.

In an attempt to locate the person who lost the wallet, Sherry called a phone number inside the wallet. The woman at the other end of the line was not especially friendly and was of no help in identifying to whom the wallet may have belonged. By 4 that afternoon Sherry and her dad, Jerry, decided to call the Moorhead Police Department to report the lost wallet with said large amounts of money. An officer came down from the Moorhead Police Department, took Sherry’s statement, counted the money, then took the wallet back with him to the police department. The officer was able to find the owner of the lost wallet and, according to the officer I talked to, he did give the name of the person who found it and turned it in to the police.

Now, wouldn’t you think that, after losing a wallet or a purse or anything holding $1,700 in it and then having it not only found, but TURNED IN TO THE POLICE, the person who lost the wallet in the first place would at least have the gratitude to thank the person who found it, in this case Sherry Keogh?

One would think so. Unfortunately, not so in this case. Since the schmuck who was stupid enough to lose such a substantial amount of money in the first place also has so little class that he didn’t bother to swing northward two blocks and just say “thanks,” I will.

It’s nice to know in this day and age and with small businesses hurting as many are, there are still people with integrity and who are conscientious enough to do the right thing. $1,700 is a lot of greenbacks. I wonder what Sherry could have done with that kind of loot, especially at Christmas time?

All in all...I'm glad it's over - 1/4/08

Given the prior year's activities for our family personally, as well as for those we know and care about, I'm really very glad 2007 is OVER. Call it whatever you will—coincidence, circumstances, bad karma, a year ending with an “odd” number...whatever, I'm just tremendously appreciative we're all still alive to thank whoever is “in charge” over all things cosmic that it is finally behind us.

The last year that was as calamity-filled as this one was 1993. Both my mother and Ash's mother died that year and, in the midst of his mother dying, his eldest sister nearly died from encephalitis. That was also the year Ash turned 40. To say the least, ’93 isn't a year we “oooh” and “aahh” over, relishing memories made. Thankfully, no one died in 2007, but it's another one of “those” years when you think back and feel pangs of severe heartburn.

Bad years affect other events, too. Starting with the national campaigning for this year’s presidential election, for reasons no sane person could begin to fathom, all we have heard for nearly a year now are the names of those who hope to run the world. Well, all but one. Fred Thompson says he really doesn't care to be president, but feels that he's as “qualified as any of the others and doesn't have an ego that will hamper his decisions” (whatever that's supposed to mean). I always get the feeling while watching him during debates that he's actually roleplaying and this is the biggest, juiciest part he's ever played.

Maybe with the election, with all that's at stake regarding who is elected, the retailers will hold off on the ads and store decorations for Christmas until Thanksgiving this year. Wouldn't that be a nice change? Maybe it was my anxiousness to simply see this year come to an end, but, for the life of me, I just never really got my Christmas-spirit horse going. I tried, but as Halloween slipped away, the advertising gurus all but skipped Thanksgiving and melted into Christmas suddenly with music on the radio and Christmas trees parked in the middle of most of the major department stores two weeks before Thanksgiving. The turkeys didn’t even have a chance to become nervous. I lost interest in Christmas around the second week in December.

But it is a new year and I'm fit and ready for it. On the national scene, the bad news is, all we'll hear for the next 10 months are the names HILLARY, OBAMA, MITT, McCAIN, HUCKABEE, and RUDY. The good news is that we will hear less and less of Bush and Cheney. At least, let’s hope so.

What about the local scene? Well, that could get even more interesting than the national scene. Stay tuned for Fargo’s city election and how ugly the smoking-ban-in-Fargo partisans plan to behave. Moorhead is bound to have a few disputes regarding the plans for First Avenue North. North Dakota still has the WSI debacle to sort out, and would someone explain how laying a pipeline with horizontal drilling in the Pembina Gorge is safer? Makes one wonder—have these people even seen the Pembina Gorge? Expect to see headlines regarding Walhalla a lot more than ever before.

What I am curious about is how many people who haven’t gotten their passports enabling them to take a yearly trip to Canada plan on getting one? I haven’t been to Canada in years and actually have no plans to go up. Mexico is a different story. What I don’t understand is, if NAFTA is such a terrific trade agreement, why would the government feel it necessary to make traveling to the two countries we have this agreement with more difficult? They cannot believe making everyone buy passports proving they are legitimate citizens is actually going to stop anyone who isn’t…can they? Naw! Not even the government is that stupid!

Here’s to 2008. It may not be great, but it’s definitely got to be better

Hugs and Slaps - 12/21/07

As 2007 winds down, I thought I'd bring a few reminders to our readers of just a few of the issues that have cropped up during the year and the responses to them.

HUGS --- To Mayor Dennis Walaker for championing the rights and protections of everyone's water in Fargo and West Fargo by bringing KEYSTONE back to the table with a few more guarantees. The pipeline will never be foolproof, but Walaker has done everything humanly possible to avert and hopefully avoid potential hazards for the Fargo and surrounding area.

SLAP --- To the Board of the Red River Valley Fair Association. What is the problem?? Seems some of them have been reading pages from Sandy Blunt's pamphlet on how to screw the public. Hire a manager with a similar vision and ability to lead, then GET OUT OF HIS/HER WAY and stop micromanaging. Obviously, that isn't working out too well, is it? Get it together, people, or just get off the board.

HUGS --- To Gov. Hoeven for finally taking back direction of WSI and firing Attila the Blunt. Although one must wonder if a "slap" isn't in order for granting Sandy Blunt a $140,000 compensation package for making the lives of injured workers, staff and the public in general miserable, maybe it is worth it to finally be rid of him.

SLAP --- To Marcus Theatres Corp. for not completing a compromise with Paramount Pictures, thus omitting FARGO from showing “Sweeney Todd,” a film already determined to be the next Oscar winner.

HUGS --- To the majority of Clay County commissioners who are holding county taxes down despite increased budgetary expenditures. Others who say there is no need for an increase apparently aren't reading the same ledger sheets.

SLAP --- To BLACKWATER Security, President Bush and Vice President Cheney for their continued support of a group of thugs who are little more than extremely well-paid mercenaries.

HUGS --- To the Fargo Forum for their incredible blunder for "dismissing" Tom Pantera, who has become the FM Extra's shining star.

SLAP --- To the latest petition-seekers for nonsmoking in Fargo. A better idea might be to start a petition to move out those who have such an intolerance for others who also have rights—including the right to smoke where permitted by business owners who should have the right to decide what is best for their businesses.

2007:

They have gone but are worth remembering:

Dan Fogleberg, 56, musician/song writer

Julia Tharnish, 110, American supercentenarian and Nebraska's oldest person

Robert "Evel" Knievel, Jr., 69, American stunt performer

Robert Cade, 80, Inventor of Gatorade

Sean Taylor, 24, Washington Redskins safety

Norman Mailer, 84, writer

Mary Tyler "Molly" Ivins, 62, columnist

Sidney Sheldon, 89, writer

E. Howard Hunt, 88, Watergate figure

Art Buchwald, 81, columnist

Jane Matilda Bolin, 99, the first African-American woman to graduate from Yale Law School, join the New York City Bar Association and serve as the first female judge in the United States

Jerry Falwell, 73, evangelist

MY VERY BEST WISHES TO EVERYONE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AND A BOUNTIFUL NEW YEAR TO ALL.

Moorhead Traffic Shouldn't "JAM" - 12/14/2007

Reading about MNDOT recently and the troubles they have encountered, starting at the top and making its way all the way down the ladder, should have rung a few bells for folks around here. Why? Consider the car back-ups on Main when one of the 52 daily trains running through Moorhead come barreling through downtown. Ash and I sat at the corner of 14th Street South and Main Avenue for nearly 10 minutes one day, waiting for the train to finally end just so we could turn left onto Main Avenue. We were not even intending to cross the railroad tracks! Meeting just one red light – never mind several – between mid-morning and past five o’clock can truly mess up the traffic flow. Might you ask what entity is responsible for the red lights not changing for southand north-bound traffic when a train appears, all the way until it has passed the “no whistle” zone? None other than the brilliant minds at MNDOT.

Another example of MNDOT’s genius planning is the corner of 12th Avenue and Eighth Street South. Never mind that the students at Concordia College had a $2 million gerbil tube built specifically for them. Never mind that Concordia College students cross Eighth Street and 12th Avenue in droves and all day long – especially during spring and fall – regardless of the skywalk built for them. Cars turning to the right are still stuck waiting on some student straggler to amble his or her way across the street before the damned light turns red again! I asked MNDOT about this, and the only answer I got was that it is a “state highway” and requires the “no turn on red” for motorists. Well, if that is the case, why aren’t there any “no right turns” on 20th Avenue and Eighth Street South? Even when the junior high was on 20th Avenue and overflowing with foot traffic from westbound kids crossing the so-called “state highway” traffic that we’ve continuously guarded Concordia students from? For that matter, all the way from 12th Avenue up Eighth Street until reaching Main, NOWHERE ELSE is there a “no turn on red.”

And if you think that’s annoying, try being on a motorcycle waiting for the light to change – especially when it’s geared for weight. A person could actually sit there until they turned to stone during a hot Minnesota Saturday waiting for the then everybody- is-at-the-lake, nonexistent traffic to appear so the light will finally change.

Yeah, I’d say MNDOT has a few “problems” to work out. Maybe while the honorable (Republican) Gov. Pawlenty is figuring out what to do with this motley crew, Moorhead’s Republican State Senator Morris Lanning can figure out how to help Moorhead’s red light problem.

A “TWO-WAY” STREET

Recently, our daughter found out what her last semester classes at MSUM will be and when they are held. Last summer she got a job with DOW and worked part-time five nights a week as a custodian. During that time, she took a total of three days off and always gave ample advance notice that she needed a night off. When she received her next semester class schedule, she realized she would have to give up her part-time gig at DOW because most of her classes are actually early evening classes. As any decent employee would, she gave her two-week notice, allowing DOW time to find a replacement. So what did DOW do? They notified her the day after she gave her notice that she wouldn’t need to return to work but for one more night.

I’ve done custodial work. I’ve been a supervisor over crews who do custodial work. It isn’t fun work and, more often than not, at least in my experience, those who do take jobs such as these are not always the most reliable types. I spent my fair share of time having to fill in for some joker who decided they’d had a bad day and just didn’t want to come in. My guess is, most supervisors in this line of work have their lion’s share of the same stories to tell, too. So, why punish someone who has been a good employee and has the decency to give a two-week notice? Instead of allowing her to finish out her time, making the money she had budgeted and needs, especially given the time of year, instead of being grateful, they cut her off at the knees! I see jobs in the paper all the time for custodial services and, from the experiences I’ve had, keeping good and, more importantly, reliable employees at the low wages these jobs pay is an ongoing problem.

Maybe now they know why people just “up and quit” or don’t give due notice. Companies need to understand that treating employees with respect and fairness is the best way to keep good employees.

Providing “references” about companies, just as with employees, is a two-way street. North Dakota is a “right to work” state, but that does not mean employers have the “right” to treat employees badly or unfairly.

Drive-up mistakes can drive you crazy. - 12/07/2007

Anyone who knows anything at all about me also knows I am a coffee junky. I don’t have just a few “cups” a day – I drink pots of coffee. The area where I grew up during the majority of my pre-teen years had the worst water anywhere. I never drank a straight glass of water that didn’t disgust me. Alternatively, I drank gallons of Kool-Aid daily. As a teenager, it was pop. I don’t drink pop very often anymore. I prefer hot drinks to cold drinks, and I could probably stop breathing more easily than I could give up coffee.

A few days ago, I was on 13th Avenue on my way out of town and decided to stop at a nearby Starbucks for the trip north. I drove up to the window and, as always, I told the person on the other end of the speaker that I had my own cup and would order at the window. Upon reaching the window, I handed the guy my cup and plainly told him it was a 12-ounce cup and I just wanted a bold with three Sweet ’N’ Low sugars and a piece of banana bread. I actually had to tell him to “hang on” when I was trying to order the banana bread because about every three seconds he was leaning inside and away from me and I wanted to be sure he heard me.

So, the clerk comes back handing me my overfilled and dripping coffee cup and what I thought was banana bread. I understand the top is sometimes difficult to put back on, so I blew off the dripping cup. I thanked him, rolled up my window, and drove to the outer drive of the drive-up window, took a sip, and realized, it’s got milk or some sort of creamer in it – YUK! As there wasn’t anyone at the drive-up coming in, I backed up to the window, rolled down the window and said, “um, you put some sort of milk product in here – I asked for straight coffee with three pink sugars.” The clerk apologized and said he would get me another one. While the clerk disappeared, I took a small piece of my banana bread. EEEWWW! THIS IS NOT BANANA BREAD! I look inside the paper bag and, nope! This doesn’t LOOK like banana bread either. I looked at the receipt and, sure enough, it plainly says “PUMPKIN BREAD.” When he arrived with my second cup of coffee, I told him I ordered BANANA BREAD, not pumpkin. I showed him the slip. He apologizes – again, and offers to replace it with the banana bread and says, “It’s the same price” – like at this point I am concerned with the price! OK, he takes the icky pumpkin stuff away and replaces it with banana bread. Fine. Great. Everything should be just perfect. I start to drive off and – YUK! Not enough sugar. I went around the corner, parked in front, and walked inside to doctor my coffee. I don’t know how many Sweet ’N’ Lows the clerk actually put in, but I added two, and it was just right. My guess is he only put in one to begin with.

When I got back to my car, I looked at my receipt again, and – just as I suspected – he overcharged me. He charged me the 16-ounce cup size, not the 12-ounce. Now, to be fair, I go to Starbucks a lot – probably two to three times daily. Not always the same one, because it depends on what part of town I’m in when I want a cup of coffee. I obviously don’t mind paying the $1.54 for a cup of coffee. I don’t ever get one of their designer cafés – I like my coffee very strong and just a tad sweet. This is the first time I have ever had to go back and get a replacement coffee. People are human, I understand that. Mistakes are made by me and everyone else all the time. I understand that. But – THREE TIMES for one cup of coffee and a piece of banana bread?

My point? THESE are the small things in life that send people packing guns to the brink of assassination! And it’s not only Starbucks. As I said, Starbucks has a supreme record as far as I’m concerned. The guy who waited on me wasn’t new; I asked him that when he brought me my banana bread to replace the pumpkin bread. He can’t blame it on the two-way speaker system, which is usually the reason for most of the mistakes I’ve encountered when ordering at other fastfood drive-ups, because I ordered at the window. This guy’s problem is he wasn’t listening. Period. It wasn’t that difficult an order to fill and if it was – the dude’s in the wrong line of work.

McDonald’s, Burger King, Arby’s, even Taco John’s have screwed up my orders at times. I’ve gotten to the point now, I don’t care how many cars are behind me, I’m checking out the bag BEFORE I drive all the way home to find I didn’t get something I ordered. Sometimes I’ve called and sometimes I haven’t. When I have, attempted amends were made, but the problem is – it usually requires another trip back to pick up the replaced or forgotten food order. The whole point of going to a fast-food pick-up is the operative two word phrase FAST FOOD. If someone has to make a second trip, that pretty much eliminates the “fast” part, doesn’t it?

So, to the owners of all the fast-food drive-up places in town, could you do something about replacing or repairing your intercom systems? If that isn’t the problem, would you please find out what it is because I still don’t like to cook very often and starving doesn’t seem very appealing either.

Where do we go from here? - 11/30/07

When I was growing up, my parents and I lived in a variety of places, none of them ours—we rented. For a few years, my parents were not able to afford an automobile. Our mode of transportation was the city bus. We had one television, and when I was twelve I asked for and received a radio for my room, bringing our household total to two. My sister was away at college most of the time I was growing up, and as she never returned to live with my parents and me, I grew up pretty much as an only child. My parents were cancer victims most of my life and money was tight and sometimes nonexistent. But I never lacked for decent clothing or food. My mother was an excellent cook. My sister passed on her clothes to me and my mother remade them to fit me.

Although my parents were not able to afford anything extra, I never felt as though I didn’t have enough. I lived in an area of wealth, or at least the majority of families were above “middle class” with dads who were professionals such as doctors, dentists, and investment brokers. Many of us attended the same elementary school and the same neighborhood park where most of us spent every waking hour from early morning to late afternoon during the summers and nearly every afterschool hour September through May.

Most of the families I knew had at least three children and, while some were members of the very posh country club, or took piano lessons or horseback riding lessons, for the most part, the majority didn’t have a lot more than I did as far as having “things” went. We all had bikes and roller skates and transistor radios. We all either participated in park-coordinated softball, volleyball, basketball, and football games or we just picked our own teams among those interested in playing. Inside, the park house was the site for board games for the girls who didn’t like “contact” sports outside, and the one ping-pong table was always busy. I learned how to swim in the four-and-a-half-foot pool at Hickman Park. I learned how to ride a bicycle on a friend’s bike before my parents bought me one. I learned how to play every sport available to us growing up at that park with people who were the same age and some who were much older.

I also learned the “order” of life because there were kids of all ages who frequented the park as much as I did. No one came to anyone’s “rescue” when a kid of eight was smart-talking back to a kid of 12. That was a life lesson only experience could teach. Once learned, it was rarely forgotten and usually only by someone with masochistic tendencies. On the other hand, when an older bully decided to run for “king of the world,” he usually found his reign was short lived. I learned how a “democracy in action” works at Hickman Park as well. There was very little parental interference on behalf of their child. Parents allowed their children to grow and learn and, more importantly, how to function and manage on their own.

Did the parents of the kids attending Hickman know one another? Mine didn’t. Most others may have known who belonged to what family, but as far as the parents being social with or among each other? No, they weren’t. While our world at Hickman was small, our parents lived in a much larger world. Augusta was a city of 50,000 to 60,000 people at that time. In comparison, it was much like Fargo is now. There were annual ice cream socials and an occasional “tournament” of some sort that parents sometimes showed up for, but, for the most part, Hickman Park was home to as many as 100-150 kids and, with the exception of the one and only park supervisor, every one was under the age of 18.

In thinking back to those days, I honestly cannot remember one obese person. There were a few who were a little on the “chunky” side, but no one was ever actually fat. No one was ever chosen as the “get that kid” either. When someone was being picked on to the point someone could get hurt, someone else, usually an older kid, stepped in and it was either stopped by a “higher level” of position and possible aggression or someone ran home. Within a day or so, everything was over. There was one girl four years older than me who hated me with an intensity I’ve never felt since. She had long fingernails, and my back felt her scratches more than once. My mother showed up once in the middle of one of our confrontations and watched. As this girl grabbed one of my long pigtails, my mother came up behind her and told her to let go or she would be the next one missing a sizeable chunk of hair. She let go and that incident was over for that day. When I got home that day, my mother told me I had “earned” it because of my mouth, and when I learned to stay away from fights I couldn’t win, I’d be a much smarter person. I whined and went on about my mother “not loving me” or she would have done more to protect me. My mother finally looked at me and told me I could either stop going to the park or learn to pick fights worth fighting because she wouldn’t be there for most of the scraps I would encounter. And as I learned how to deal with each one, I would be capable of handling the really tough ones that were bound to come along. She felt that was her most important job—to prepare me for whatever my future was to be, so I would be able to handle it and come out on top as often as possible. I didn’t appreciate her philosophy for a long time. As I became a parent, her words echoed more loudly and made a lot more sense.

Today the world for children—teens and younger adults especially—is not as black-and-white as it was for my generation. For us, there was “right versus wrong” and society didn’t hedge much on either. So, should we blame the generation we have raised if they seem confused about whether it’s OK or not to get pregnant without benefit of marriage or the ability to actually care for a child they don’t want or can’t take care of? Should we go to great lengths to fight their fights for them when they are growing up? Alternatively, should we allow them just enough rope to figure it out or hang themselves? Do excessive rules and more laws help or not?

I’m just asking. We’ve raised our children so these aren’t worries we are concerned with any longer. But as a person still living in today’s society, reading headlines about school shootings, junior high girls getting pregnant, elementary-age students using drugs, and the numbers of ill-prepared people we have in our work force, it sure makes me wonder about what we baby-boomers either forgot or skipped while raising the last generation. More importantly, can it be reversed?

Bravo for Burgum's "BoB" - 11/23/07

Ihave been stewing all day about what to write in this week’s ROTE column. It doesn’t happen often that I am plagued with “writer’s block.” But after writing two columns a week (and more at times) for several years, it can happen, even to folks like me who have an opinion on just about anything. Growing weary as the daylight grew into darkness and the clock on my wall kept ticking off each hour, I began scouring headline news on the Internet. Finding nothing, I sought out our daughter to ask about school and if anything interesting was happening on campus. With her usual “are you kidding?” look, she said, “You must not have read the Forum’s editorial page today.” Thinking back to when I awoke and sloshed down my first pot of coffee, I realized I’d only scoured the first op-ed page after reading “Our Opinion.” OK, truthfully, I was so amazed that I actually agreed with an opinion written by the Forum’s mysterious “editorial board” that I didn’t want to mar the good feeling I had, so I stopped reading at that point.

Obviously, by our daughter’s cue, I had to go back and figure out which article she was referring to that I had not read. All Lauren would say is, “Have you taken your blood pressure yet?” It didn’t take me long to find the article my daughter was talking about.

After reading Ross Nelson’s piece whining about the “Bras on Broadway” fundraiser for awareness and prevention of breast cancer versus male prostate cancer victims not getting the attention or funding they deserve, I sat back and drew in a deep breath. I do that periodically – mostly when I hear, see, or read something so totally skewed, misconceived, or WRONG that sometimes my head feels as though it may explode.

Nelson’s focus is primarily about the age “disparity” of men getting prostate cancer “at a higher average age than women” who develop breast c