TheWordChipper - By Larry Gauper (WordChipper@gmail.com)

Passing the peace 8/01/2008

Have you been doing something you don’t like doing, but thought you were the only one who didn’t like it? That’s me when it comes to a weekly ritual at our church called “passing the peace.” This is the moment when the pastor says, “Now, let’s stand up and greet those with whom you are worshipping.” This usually means extending a handshake to people seated around you, although some parishioners feel moved by the Spirit to welcome worshipers seated halfway across the sanctuary. Still others, not so much in our congregation, feel compelled to warm things up even more by getting into – my goodness gracious – hugging!

I thought I was the only one who questioned these practices, until I read an article in the April, 2008, issue of The Lutheran, the official publication of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). I’m vindicated!

For the article, entitled “Hugger, Shaker...Peacemaker,” writer Julie B. Selvig gathered opinions from Lutherans nationwide and, while some truly enjoy “passing the peace,” it seems most of the views cited in her piece were negative. For example, one church member complained, “It’s disruptive, meaningless and a false way to get people to acknowledge one another.” Another said, “...after shaking hands worshipers are expected to handle the communion bread and the after-service doughnut. This is risky and unnecessary behavior.” And, I might add, particularly dangerous during flu season. I was pleased when one of my pew neighbors said – as I extended my hand – “Sorry, I can’t shake today because I have a real bad cold.” Thank you for saying that!

The article goes on to quote various worshipers from both sides of the issue and addresses “hugging.” She quotes one woman who, when she extended her hand for a shake, was told by the person to whom she was passing the peace, “I’m a hugger.” To which she replied, “Well, I’m not!” In her very interesting and provocative article, Selvig includes the views of pastors who told her that many practice the ritual incorrectly. For example, one clergyman said the handshake – or hug – should be accompanied by the words, “God’s peace be with you.” Most times, these words aren’t said.

The entire article can be found at the magazine’s website, www.TheLutheran.org. Go to the “past issues” section and look for April, 2008. You may have to register for free access to the entire story. Incidentally, I thoroughly enjoy reading The Lutheran every month; a supply of copies is made available, without charge, to members and visitors at many Lutheran churches.

My own negativity toward “passing the peace” stems from a general dislike for any type of forced group participation. Churches aren’t alone in these exercises – they happen in so-called “motivational” or training sessions and other settings wherein the speaker thinks it would be good to have the audience do, as someone called it, a “group grope.” I always cringe at the line, “Okay, everybody, I want you to turn to the person next to you and...” You know the rest.

Shaking hands, hugging, or even welcoming someone verbally ought to come from the heart, as the Spirit moves a person to take these kinds of very personal actions, rather than as a directive from the pastor or any group leader. In most cases, I’ve already greeted those sitting near me prior to the beginning of the service, and my mind is now ready to concentrate on the true substance of worship. That service, including the pastor’s message, should be quite sufficient to motivate me to pass a feeling of peace to those around me, including strangers, at an appropriate time. I don’t need to be prodded to stand up and go through what some in the magazine article have called a “disruptive and phony” exercise to prove to God and the pastor I’m awake. Now that I’ve probably hacked-off 90% of the pastors – of all denominations – I better go say my prayers.

I’M TOLD I TALK TOO MUCH. This may be true. (You may also be thinking I write too much!) I saw some advice recently that gave me a new perspective on silence: “God is the friend of silence. Trees, flowers and grass grow in silence. See the stars, moon and sun, how they move – in silence.” That from Mother Teresa.

Escape!

Summertime...and the livin’ is easy. Oh, really? Livin’ – or trying to – in the summer of 2008 is not so (expletive deleted) “easy” for thousands of Minnesotans, North Dakotans and millions of Americans.

With unprecedented gas and grocery prices, non-stop rises in health insurance rates, new and higher airline tickets plus additional fees, more and more Internet spams and scams every day, a country more politically divided than I’ve ever it seen before, and legislators and lobbyists totally dedicated to self-interest while they enable the obscene profits of oil and pharmaceutical companies – no, livin’ in the good ol’ summertime in America isn’t so easy anymore. Even our local legislators continue to insist on North Dakota being the only state in the union where Wal-Mart and Walgreens are not allowed, by law, to offer their national discount programs on prescription drugs. But, hey, state senators and representatives on both sides of the aisle have their own campaign war chests to fill and they seem compelled to protect the critical retail pharmaceutical market from free and consumer-friendly competition. Yup, that’s how screwy the summer of ’08 really is, even here in River City.

My mind screams for a beak from all the bad news. Help! Where’s the door marked “escape”? There is one – and behind it are all of my “favorite things.” So what are they? For starters: books.

There’s something about reading a book that gives one a higher quality “escape” than a movie. Cinema is passive. You don’t have to “do” anything. Less brain activity is required; in fact, some movies require almost no brain power. Reading, however, is a deeply inter-active experience. You have to think about the words, paint a picture in your mind, consider, contemplate, understand. Not so with movies and tv shows. It’s all interpreted for you by the director, the actors and the camera.

Personally, I always have several books going at the same time, some from BDS Used Books in downtown Fargo, others from Barnes & Noble and still another pile from the new Dr. James Carlson Branch of the Fargo Public Library, on 32nd Avenue South. I just finished two excellent books, both from the Carlson branch – one nonfiction, the other fiction.

The true-to-life treatise is entitled Touching History – the Untold Story of the Drama That Unfolded in the Skies Over America on 9/11 and it’s a thriller. If you’re at all intrested in aviation – military, commercial or private, or if you’re simply a passenger – you’ll find this book both amazing and insightful. It’s the kind of book that’ll keep you up nights.

The author, Lynn Spencer, is a pilot for ExpressJet Airlines and a certified flight instructor. Ms. Spencer graduated from Duke University, with honors, and has completed high-altitude training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. On top of all that, she’s an excellent writer. The book is well-researched and gives a close-up and detailed look at another dimension of what happened on 9/11: how air traffic was totally stopped and how the military, NORAD, the FAA and the highest levels of government decision-makers dealt with this unprecedented situation. You’ll even see a number of references to the significant role played by the Fargobased 119th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the North Dakota Air National Guard, our own “Happy Hooligans.”

General Richard B. Meyers, USAF (Ret.), former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said “One cannot fully conceptualize 9/11 until reading Lynn Spencer’s book...Through firsthand interviews, she puts you in the cockpits, the control rooms, and on the tarmacs...You won’t put it down.” This behind-the-scenes look at 9/11 is certain to be an aviation book-ofrecord and I heartily recommend it.

The fiction I recently enjoyed – also from the Carlson library – is The Chase, an adventure-thriller by prolific novelist Clive Cussler. If you like turn-of-the-century railroading and a yarn about a daring and creative bank robber, you’ll enjoy what Cussler did here. It was one of the few fiction works of late that really kept me turning the pages. Reviewers have commented that “this is one of the wildest, most entertaining historical novels in recent years.” I agree.

So, there you have a couple of ideas to turn off the bad news by escaping into some great reading. Remember, your library card is more valuable than any credit card – and books are a far healthier escape than chemicals or calories!

Millennial grads - 6/12/2008

Many of today’s 21-30 year-olds, referred to as “millennials” by consumer researchers and human resource authorities, are graduating from college or technical school this month. A number of these fresh faces may have already started a new job, perhaps the first of their hoped-for career. These young people face a far different world than this slightly pre-baby-boomer did. And they have some attitudes and behaviors not of their own making. They are a product of the environment in which they were raised, and I’m not referring here to greenhouse gases or Arctic ice melting. “Overindulgent parents and overworked and underappreciated older siblings are part of it,” writes Ed Cafasso, a Boston-based public relations professional and demographic researcher, in an article entitled “Millennials in the Workplace,” appearing in the Spring, 2008, issue of Public Relations Strategist. He suggests, “Internet-inspired technological advances and in-your-face commercialism - and a never-ending succession of corporate restructurings and acquisitions – all have shaped the way this generation tends to feel, think and act.”

As a college professor, Cafasso observes that “more students are in college today vying for discernibly fewer quality entry-level positions, while student debt from college loans is at an all-time high. Is it any wonder they feel they need a better, higher-paying job after graduation that affords the work-life balance prior generations haven’t enjoyed?”

Although I’ve been out of college for decades (you can probably tell by my photo), I’ve hired and worked with a number of today’s “millennials,” along with “Y-ers” and “X-ers,” and I agree with the professor. These kids are, in many ways, brighter right off the graduation stage than my contemporaries and I were, decades ago. They’ve also watched how many of us worked and lived and they want something better. Who’s to blame them?

If you talk to some recently retired medical doctors, for example, they will tell you how they worked way beyond normal clinic hours and then made hospital rounds. Today’s young physicians, I’m told, stop working at an agreedupon hour because they, understandably, want to attend their children’s soccer games or other activities. These younger professionals, in health care and other fields, put a priority on family life, something many of us boomers gave lipservice to but, somehow, the job always seemed to take priority.

The new way of working millennials embrace is summarized in the unusually lengthy title of a recent book: Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It; No Schedules, No Meetings; No Joke – The Simple Change That Can Make Your Job Terrific. I recently listened to the book’s co-authors, Jody Thompson and Cali Ressler, on Minnesota Public Radio’s Midmorning program. They mentioned the current Best Buy corporate experience being an example of the concept they advocate. At the electronic retailer’s Minneapolis headquarters, the company recently moved from a traditional 8:00-to-5:00 employment policy to a “results only” work environment. This means Best Buy’s office employees can keep their own work schedules, attend only the meetings individual employees determine they need to attend, and enjoy flexibility to come and go as they please. Employees may enjoy this great flexibility as long as – and this is critical – they achieve the results to which they have personally committed.

As I understand it, the verdict isn’t in on Best Buy’s new program but it’s being very well received. Given today’s communication technologies, “results only” work policies might work. I do believe the success of this approach is dependent not only on the attitudes and ethics of individual employees but also on the total support of the company’s CEO, other top management, and line supervisors. Very little room is left for “office politics.” If you’ve ever worked for a large company, you know some people use needless meetings to kiss-up to their boss, and simple “attendance” is rewarded regardless of an employee’s performance. It also behooves management to make sure self-serving, territorial department heads don’t schedule “power play” meetings designed solely to showcase top-down power.This protectionist part of the formula can sometimes be more difficult to achieve than getting out of the way so employees can do their jobs and manage their own lives.

The personal-responsibility aspect of the millennial work environment reminds me of words I’ve included in congratulatory messages to new grads: “In oneself lies the whole world and if you know how to look and learn, then the door is there and the key is in your hand. Nobody on earth can give you either the key or the door to open, except yourself.” That thought, by J. Krishnamurti from his book, You Are the World, applies not only to those looking for a job, but also to those lucky enough to have landed one. It’s advice for a lifetime.

Bette Midler in Person - 5/30/2008

Walking into the 4,300 seat theater, initially constructed for her predecessor, Celine Dion, one immediately senses something very special is about to happen. What is going to happen in about forty-five minutes is Bette Medler in her lavish Las Vegas spectacular built around the theme The Showgirl Must Go On! Complemented by a 13 piece band, 20 female dancers, 4 outstanding back-up singers (there isn’t a guy in the entire troupe), Bette Midler puts her heart and soul into a world-class revue, the caliber of show you’d expect to see at The Coliseum in Caesar’s Palace at the very center of the Las Vegas Strip.

As I sat back in the auditorium’s unusually comfortable red and gray seats (the colors personally selected by Ms. Dion), I found it hard to believe the amount of energy Midler exerts can come from a 5-foot 1-inch 62-year-old “showgirl” who literally runs back and forth across a 22,000 square-foot stage. Mercifully, her show is “Vegas-timed” to run just 90 minutes (understandably, Caesar’s wants you back in their casino a-sap).

Midler sang all the crowd pleasers from her extensive and popular repertoire, including her signature and Grammy-Award-winning “Wind Beneath My Wings” from Beaches, the 1988 movie in which she starred. We also enjoyed “Glory of Love” from the same picture and, of course, another Midler trademark number, “From A Distance.” As a nostalgic video plays on the Coliseum’s huge screen reprising a performance of “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” captured when she was in her twenties, Midler and her troupe re-enact all the dance moves which originally accompanied that upbeat, energetic number. Real or feigned, Midler appeared tired after that workout and jokingly cried out, “Celine! Come back! All is forgiven!” Given her age, I’m guessing the exhaustion wasn’t faked.

The auditorium’s impressive 30-by-110-foot LED screen, also specially constructed for the tall Ms. Dion, is used differently by Bette Midler. Celine permitted, perhaps encouraged, extreme close-ups of herself as she delivered intimate songs and chatter to audiences seated on three levels. In interviews with Midler, conducted by Steve Friess and still available in audio at www.theStripPodcast.com, The Divine Miss M said she didn’t like to use the giant screen as Celine did. Instead, Midler uses it to complement her musical productions with backgrounds and movie clips. A number of audience members have complained to Caesar’s about this restriction because, although the auditorium is relatively small (she’s used to performing to concert audiences of 20,000 or more), it’s still too large a venue for much of the crowd to get a closeup look at the star they’ve come to see. Sitting in the second balcony, where we were, or even two-thirds of the way back on the main floor during Dion’s show, it’s impossible to clearly see a performer’s face. Small binoculars would not have been necessary if Miss M would allow video screen close-ups of her as she sings.

Our seats in the near nose-bleed section cost $86 plus tax, purchased online through TicketMaster. I went that route to make sure I had seats, but you are, of course, charged online vendor fees to enjoy this assurance. On scene, I noticed that $95 seats were available at the box office shortly before the show. When we saw Celine Dion, we “gambled,” no pun intended, and purchased two tickets at Caesar’s box office the day of the performance for about $100 each. Incidentally, because of the current recession, hotel rooms in choice locations on The Strip are relatively inexpensive. You may want to check www.Vegas.com for the latest room rates and ticket prices for shows. I have used that Vegas-based site and service and found it to be reliable. Last week, I noted the Tropicana at $38 a night and Caesar’s for $110. But hotel rates and show prices are moving targets, so do your online research before you make plans.

My technical and quite picky observation about wanting more close up screen shots of Bette Midler is the only negative I could come up with from the entire show. The total experience lived up to expectations and, I suggest, should be a “must see” on your next trip to Vegas. Some have commented that she “gets a bit raunchy” on stage. Hey, that’s part of Bette’s humor and if you expect it to be too much for you then opt for Disneyland. Those kinds of critics should bear in mind this is a Caesar’s Palace show in Las Vegas, not a Minnie Mouse family production in Orlando. If you get the chance, go see Bette Midler. Trust me, you’ll be the envy of all your friends who weren’t so lucky.

Book burning in North Dakota - 5/22/2008

He was the kind of writer who made all of us who haven’t written a book think we could. The late Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. is one of my favorite authors and I was recently reminded of his greatness by a new book, a posthumous compilation of some of his work compiled by his son, Mark Vonnegut, and titled Armageddon in Retrospect, published this year by G. P. Putnam & Sons. Kurt Vonnegut died on April 11 of 2007.

While the elder Vonnegut’s writing always seemed easily composed by a man so obviously talented, Mark Vonnegut remarks in the book’s foreword that his dad “rewrote and rewrote, muttering whatever he had just written over and over.” The younger Vonnegut writes that his father once told him, “If you can’t write clearly, you probably don’t think as well as you think you do.”

An especially interesting observation by the son about his father was that Kurt Vonnegut was “like an extrovert who wanted to be an introvert, a very social guy who wanted to be a loner, a lucky person who would have preferred to be unlucky.”

This book is also filled with many personal insights into Vonnegut’s writing, more so, I believe, than any of his previous works. His last book published while he was still alive, Man Without a Country, contained some humorous observations about his working life and habits, but this posthumous collection contains material I hadn’t read before, including what’s revealed in the book’s foreword. You’ll find several texts of speeches made relatively close in time to Vonnegut’s death, including a number of anecdotes and outright jokes. For example, in a talk delivered on April 27, 2007, he told the audience, “I myself just got a dog, and it’s a new crossbreed. It’s half French poodle and half Chinese shih tzu. It’s a shit-poo.”

North Dakota, specifically the community of Drake in the central part of the state, was especially notorious to Vonnegut. In the opening chapter of his 1981 book, Palm Sunday, he recounts how the Drake School Board ordered the burning of all copies of his book, Slaughterhouse Five, in which he tells a fictional yet autobiographical story of the main character’s experiences as a prisoner of war. This “time-travel” type science-fiction novel closely parallels Vonnegut’s own detention in a slaughterhouse in Dresden, Germany, during the World War II bombing of that city. The school board was incensed over the use of a single word, an expletive uttered during combat by an American anti-tank gunner during the famous “Battle of the Bulge.” In a letter to the school board, reprinted in Palm Sunday, Vonnegut tells the Drake officials why their decision was so stupid and this American war veteran concludes by writing, “You have insulted me, and I am a good citizen, and I am very real.”

Very real he was indeed, and he will be missed. Fortunately, we have his books and they’re as close as your nearest used or new book store or at your public library. I also recommend the new compilation edited by Mark Vonnegut. No doubt you’ll learn, as I did, something new about one of the giants of contemporary American writing.

HE VALUES WOMEN OVER 40: syndicated columnist Frank Kaiser writes that, as he grows older, he “values women over 40 most of all.” Among other observations, he says, “A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, ‘What are you thinking?’ She doesn’t care what you think….we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons; unfortunately, it’s not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year-old waitress. Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, ‘Why buy the cow when you can get the milk free?” here’s an update for you. Nowadays, 80% of women are against marriage. Why? Because women realize it’s not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage!”

 

More sales tax?

Selling an over $9 million annual increase in sales tax to Cass County voters June 10 is an uphill climb for the initiated measure’s sponsor, the Greater Fargo-Moorhead Economic Development Corporation. The organization’s president is Brian Walters and if he can’t sell it, nobody can. Brian is a knowledgeable and energetic executive whose passion for this issue is clearly evident.

When I visited with Brian, he brought me from a “definitely no” to a “maybe.” He made me realize I need to think about this a little more before I enter the voting booth. And, although we’re talking about a nominal halfcent additional tax on most consumer purchases, this issue does deserve every voter’s careful attention. The result of the vote, which only requires a simple majority, will affect everyone who shops in Fargo, West Fargo and other Cass County communities.

The focus of the new tax is a “growth plan” developed by a group of about 60 well intentioned individuals representing information technology, the life and physical sciences, business and government. After reading the 18-page document and talking to Brian, I remain foggy on exactly what the development corporation wants to do with the over $120 million collected during the ten-year life of the sales tax. There are major threads of dreaming and “just in case” running throughout the plan, available for reading and downloading in handy PDF form at the development corporation’s website: www.fedc.com. I urge you to take time to study it.

While Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker is actively promoting passage of the tax, West Fargo Mayor Rich Mattern has deep and understandable concerns. He says the tax could hurt his city’s ability to enact its own sales tax for a $25 million water treatment plant, new schools or other needs. As a Fargo home owner and property tax payer, I don’t always agree with everything West Fargo does or doesn’t do, but Mattern has a point on this one. Fargo too faces a number of expensive infrastructure needs including over $150 million in flood mitigation. My bottom line question: is this the best use of such a large amount of tax revenue?

Another concern for me is that while the tax will be applied to those shopping in Fargo, West Fargo and all other Cass County communities, it will not be applied in Moorhead. North Dakota vs. Minnesota retailers already have a variance in Moorhead’s favor because clothing and most grocery items are not taxed in the gopher state but sales tax on these categories is applied in North Dakota. Information on the development group’s website says the proposed additional part of Cass County’s total sales tax is “not regressive” because it will exclude groceries, medication, and automobiles. However, it will be applied to clothing (unlike Minnesota), furniture, books, electronics and most other consumer goods. The application to electronics is particularly unfortunate this year as we are all mandated to move to new digital TVs.

Although some quickly head for the Internet in an attempt to escape sales taxes, I shop locally and try to make most purchases in the metro area. I like having Best Buy and other major retailers in our communities not only for browsing but also because these bricks-and-mortar stores pay wages and real estate taxes. Even though I could purchase a book or piece of software a bit cheaper (not always) on Amazon.com, I prefer buying locally if the price is anywhere within range. And, I enjoy shopping at Fargo’s only used book store, BDS Books, and at Zandbroz, both in downtown Fargo, and, of course, at Barnes and Noble in the West Acres area. I think our tax structure ought to do everything it can to encourage shopping at “physically present” businesses in our area. Adding more sales tax can lessen the appeal of local, infrastructure-supporting merchants.

If you read the planning document and I encourage you to do so, you’ll find much potential in the proposed tax. On the other hand, many who will be voting struggle with day-to-day expenses, starting at the gas pump. I plan to give this measure more thought before I decide which way to vote, however, this is certainly an unfortunate time for a business group, comprised of a number of people who usually oppose “tax and spend” tactics, to try to sell more taxation.

No Suprise - 5/9/2008

If you voted for George W. Bush in 2000 and again in 2004, you shouldn’t be surprised at almost $4 a gallon for gasoline (maybe higher by the time you read this). After all, he’s a big “Texas oil man,” a real “cowboy” too, and is good friends with the top dogs in the House of Saud (Saudi Arabia). In Houston, home of countless petroleum companies, including such infamous energy traders as Enron, they loved W’s daddy so much they named their airport after him: George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

I recall reading an article in Business Week magazine right after W was “elected” the first time. It reported on a meeting held at one of the posh hotels in Houston, a gathering of the all the key petroleum producers in Texas. The story related how the meeting’s facilitator erected a white board, poised his marker, and told the group to start ticking off what they wanted from the federal government. Now was their big chance. They had a Republican majority in Congress and, wowee-zip, “their guy” was now in the White House! And guess what? They’ve received a huge portion of what they asked for back then, including the highest pump prices ever.

However, you might say President Bush has nothing to do with the gas prices; those are caused by “world demand.” But the phrase “nothing to do” has a couple of very accurate words in it: “do” and “nothing,” because that’s exactly how Mr. Bush has behaved on this subject.

I don’t understand the President’s complacency because, during the 2000 election campaign, he chided President Clinton about not doing enough about the then high prices at the gas pump. Mr. Bush promised, in a style solely his, that he “would sure pressure the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to open the oil spigots.”

Not only does the President appear to have close friends in high places in Saudi Arabia (Saudi “princes” are regular visitors to the ranch at Crawford), on 9/11/01 he made sure all of Bin Laden’s Saudi relatives flew quickly and easily out of the U. S., while all other planes were ordered to the ground. And his buddies were telling us prior to his Iraq invasion that Iraq has “tremendous oil reserves and they can pay for their own reconstruction.” That was in 2003 when Paul Wolfowitz, chief boot polisher for one of the most incompetent defense secretaries in history, was selling the war with this and other lies, peddled to a gullible Congress.

For starters, Mr. Bush could insist Iraq finally begin paying for our military operations and their country’s own reconstruction. And why not? According to CNN, Iraq is expected to see $70 billion in windfall oil revenues this year, up 250% since 2003! Meanwhile, our military is paying Iraq and other oil producers $5 a gallon for fuel used by our aircraft, tanks and various other pieces of equipment and vehicles. Not to mention the $47 billion Congress has just approved in reconstruction funding.

Would it be so much to ask the President to speak out on this travesty? And what about the billions America pays to assist Saudi Arabian defense? Good grief, man, if a Democrat was taking the Bush approach of saying and doing nothing on this, he or she would be impeached. I just don’t get it.

WHAT’S THE SADDEST TIME IN LIFE? I mean, beyond stopping to fill gas these days. Some say it’s old age; others think it’s when one is a teenager. Not so. According to a recent study reported in The Atlantic Monthly, generally the saddest time in life is middle age. Research shows American men are least happy at age 49 and American women at age 45. Then happiness starts to increase with years; apparently the elderly count their blessings more often. The study, by David G. Blanchflower and Andrew Oswald of the National Bureau of Economic Research, is titled “Is Well Being U-Shaped Over the Life Cycle?”

THE REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT, who has done his best to wreck the presidential aspirations of Barack Obama, should read Matthew 23:12: “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased (become lower in, among other things, prestige and esteem) and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” The pastor’s self-serving performances are about himself, his ego and his aspirations. Meanwhile, former President Clinton tries to “help” Hilary’s campaign but has a tendency to do more harm than good. I think both Bill and Jeremiah ought to sit down and shut up.

The truth - 4/25/2008

Icringe every time I listen to one of those self-important talk show hosts on television or catch their counterparts, the big-mouth political bloviators on talk radio. I’m saddened because of what all this thoughtless and needless polarization is doing to our democracy. It’s all about ego – theirs – and it has very little to do with problem solving and the truth.

Even what is purported to be ethical journalism is a casualty of this 24/7 media circus. Read what Bill Moyers said recently on journalism. Mr. Moyers served as White House Press Secretary for President Lyndon Baines Johnson from 1965-67. On April 3rd, he was honored with the Courage Prize at the Ridenhour Prize Awards ceremonies sponsored by The Nation Institute and Fertel Foundation in Washington, D.C. His acceptance speech, which I recommend as mandatory reading for any student of journalism (and I include those practitioners of the profession long removed from their Pomp and Circumstance moment) was built on one of his career-long themes: “Journalists’ deeper mission is to uncover the news that powerful people would prefer to keep hidden.”

Moyers spoke of the complicity modern journalism had in the run-up to the Iraq war: “Five years, thousands of casualties, and hundreds of billions of dollars later, most of the media co-conspirators caught in the flagrante delicto [caught in the act] are still prominent, still celebrated, and still holding forth with no more contrition than a weathercaster who made a wrong prediction as to the next day’s temperature. The biblical injunction, ‘Go and sin no more,’ is the one we most frequently forget in the press. Collectively, we don’t seem to learn that all it takes to transform an ordinary politician and a braying ass into the modern incarnation of Zeus and the oracle of Delphi is an oath on the Bible, a flag on the lapel, and the invocation of national security.

“But I also tell them there is something more important than journalism, and that is the truth. They aren’t necessarily one and the same because the truth is often obscured in the news. In his new novel, The Appeal, John Grisham tells us more about corporate, political and legal jihads than most newspapers or network news ever will; more about Wall Street shenanigans than all the cable business channels combined; more about Manchurian candidates that you will ever hear on the Sunday morning talk shows.

“For that matter, you will learn more about who wins and who loses in the real business of politics, which is governance, from the public interest truth-tellers of Washington than you will from an established press tethered to official sources. The Government Accountability Project, POGO, the Sunlight Foundation, Citizens Against Government Waste, Taxpayers for Common Sense, the Center for Responsible Politics, the National Security Archive, CREW, the Center for Public Integrity - just to name a few, and whistleblowers of all sorts who never went to journalism school - never flashed a press pass, and never attended a gridiron dinner.

“Ron Ridenhour (whom these prizes honor) was not a journalist when he came upon the truth of My Lai. He was in the Army. He later became a pioneering investigative reporter and – this is the irony – had trouble making a living in a calling where truth-telling can be a liability to the bottom line. Matthew Diaz and James Scurlock, whom you honored today, are truth-tellers without a license, reminding us that the most important credential of all is a conscience that cannot be purchased or silenced. So I tell inquisitive and inquiring young people: ‘Journalism still makes a difference, but the truth matters more. And if you can’t get to the truth through journalism, there are other ways to go.’”

Moyers’ remarks are an indictment of journalism and media today and a reminder of what we all can do to help uncover the truth. At a national public-relations conference a number of years ago, I asked a futurist what each of us might do in our daily jobs to advance our profession and improve the world. He replied: “Seek the truth and spread it.” Just as Bill Moyers charges us to do.

Remember Flight 232? - 4/18/2008

Sure you do. That was the United Airlines DC-10 that crash-landed in Sioux City, Iowa, on July 19, 1989. Of the 296 souls on board, 185 miraculously survived. The crucial part of the miracle was the flying ability of Captain Al Haynes, his co-pilot, the flight engineer and an off-duty United training pilot who volunteered to come up to the flight deck and help. According to Capt. Haynes, having the added manpower and knowledge in the cockpit made a significant difference in whether or not the mechanically damaged aircraft would or would not make it to the ground with any chance of its occupants surviving.

The story of Flight 232 – along with other air disasters – is detailed in an excellent new book by George Bibel, a professor of mechanical engineering at the School of Engineering and Mines at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. He’s also a former summer faculty member of NASA and recently completed the Air Line Pilots Association Advanced Accident Investigation course. The book, published earlier this year by the Johns Hopkins University Press, is entitled Beyond the Black Box: The Forensics of Airplane Crashes. It’s written so the layman can get a general understanding of the crash investigation process, how planes crash and how often, what’s behind an “in-flight breakup” and other aspects of airliner disasters. For the mechanically and scientifically inclined, fascinating details appear to be backed up by well-documented research and the author’s own experience with the subject. Exceptionally well done!

The only downside to reading this book is you may think about all that can go wrong next time you board an airliner, particularly in this day and age of airline bankruptcies and perceived cuts in maintenance budgets. But summon courage, go ahead and read the book anyway. More knowledge is always better than less, right?

“TELL ME WHY” DEPARTMENT: Why would anybody build a professional baseball park without a roof in a state known for unpredictable extremes of weather? Like Minnesota. I can never understand why both baseball and football stadiums in the sun belt, in states like Louisiana and Texas, have either permanently domed or moveable roofs while, up here, in Minnesota, where one can count on snow flying in both April and October, planners would even think about building an open-air facility. I try to imagine the Minnesota Twins playing in the World Series outdoors in Minnesota. But then, it’s hard to imagine the Twins even making it to the Series. Maybe that figures in the planning: the Twins will only need a stadium during regular season play.

From my notebook:

“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Helen Keller, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein.” —H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

“‘Will it really matter five years down the road?’ That’s a good question to ask when you’re bothered by a traffic jam or argument. Don’t allow minor setbacks or concerns to get in the way of your concentrating on what’s important.” —Dr. Robert Decker, in Mademoiselle magazine.

Liberal isn’t as bad a term as some people make it out to be, at least in my opinion. Here’s something I scribbled in my notebook awhile back: “Moses, Jesus, they were the liberals. Took their gifts to the homeless. And Pharaoh, Herod, Pilate, Ol’ Nero, they were the conservatives. Conservatives want to conserve it all like it is. Liberals liberate and expand what is into what it ought to be. And by the way, y’all, when Jesus came into Jerusalem the last time, he did not ride no elephant. It was a donkey. Hear what I’m sayin’?” Who said that? Jesse Jackson.

GRIN & GRIMACE DEPARTMENT: This is an old one but with winter not wanting to leave, I thought I’d share it. Bear (no pun intended) with me. Do you know how to catch a polar bear? First you cut a hole in the ice and sprinkle some peas around the hole. When a bear comes up to take a pea, you kick him in the ice hole.

Iraq Oil $$$$ - 4/11/2008

With oil selling at around $112 a barrel (or maybe more by the time you read this) and approaching $3.50 a gallon in our neck of the woods, think about this: Iraq has the world’s second largest proven oil reserves. And industry experts indicate much of this is high-grade crude, very cheap to produce. I heard last week that because of record high oil prices, the United States Air Force requires $153 million dollars per month to fill up their jets, tankers and other planes involved in Iraq operations. Some reports put Iraqi oil revenues at around $60 billion annually but our military pays from $3.23 a gallon to over $5 a gallon for fuel. And, of course, I know the anger I feel for oil companies every time I fill up. However, in Iraq, where gasoline is subsidized in a country Americans are paying to “protect” with the lives of our young people – plus $523 billion in U.S. treasure spent since 2003 – the Iraqi people are paying only $1.35 at the pump. On my anger list, this put my feelings for American oil companies in second place to the government of Iraq, followed by the Bush administration for letting all this happen.

If that weren’t enough to boil my blood, the Bush administration is currently demanding another $102 billion from Congress for the Iraq war, added to the figure I mentioned above. This is crazy and our elected representatives need to stop this. But, hey, if you’re a North Dakotan, chances are good you voted for Mr. Bush. I didn’t. Hope you’re happy.

I recall watching Congressional hearings on the idea of starting a preemptive war in Iraq. Paul Wolfowitz, remember him? He was deputy defense secretary under the infamous Sir Rummyhead. He testified before the defense subcommittee of the U. S. House of Representatives on March 27, 2003, as follows: “There is a lot of money to pay for this (the proposed war with Iraq) that doesn’t have to be U.S. taxpayer money, and it starts with the assets of the Iraqi people. We are talking about a country that is really able to finance its own reconstruction and relatively soon.”

Mr. Ari Fleischer, serving as White House press secretary, said on February 18, 2003: “Iraq has tremendous resources that belong to the Iraqi people. And so there are a variety of means that Iraq has to be able to shoulder much of the burden of their own reconstruction.” He was speaking on behalf of the President of the United States, George W. Bush.

Richard Perle, then chair of the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board and considered one of the architects of our military initiative in Iraq, said on July 11, 2002: “Iraq is a very wealthy country. Enormous oil reserves. They can finance – largely finance – reconstruction of their own country. And I have no doubt they will.” And, of course, one of the most inaccurate statements on these matters came from none other than our “war-as-first-option” Vice President, Dick Cheney. In a debate with Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards on October 5, 2004, Mr. Cheney said, “The allies have contributed $14 billion in direct aid (to Iraq).” In reality, that figure was more like $13 billion and on the date Cheney said the above, only $1 billion had been paid. According to an article in The Nation magazine (March 31, 2008), which is the source of the public statements I’ve quoted, “As of October 28, 2007, the National Priorities Project estimated that the share of Iraq war costs that had already been borne by American taxpayers exceeded $463 billion.”

I realize whatever supporters the President has left will tell you we need to let bygones be bygones. We’re there now. “Stay the course!” Doesn’t matter how we got there. The idea now is “to win,” however one would define “winning,” which war supporters never do. This mess is being left to the next President to cleanup, if it can be. When past and projected costs in blood and treasure were presented recently to the vice president, along with a survey showing the vast majority of Americans believe the Iraq war was and continues to be a mistake, Mr. Cheney replied, “So what?” I’m trying to remember when I last heard such unmitigated arrogance about a life and death matter from an elected public servant.

Dam worry - 4/4/2008

It was kind of like being in the middle of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Riding in a boat captained by my son, Dave, we had worked our way from the Las Vegas Marina on Lake Mead to the backside of Hoover Dam. We were positioned at the closest point to the dam in which public boat traffic is allowed to navigate. Am not be sure what happens if a boater tries to go beyond the rather ominously marked warning buoys, but I wouldn’t want to try it. From our spot, it was sufficiently awesome to view the four intake towers, two on the Arizona side of the Colorado river and two on the Nevada side, each 395 feet high with over 85 feet of their structures exposed. This is the greatest exposure of the towers since the dam’s construction and the reservoir’s original filling in the 1930s. There’s something intimidating about being that close to such a huge engineering project and disconcerting to see the effects of the drought which began to intensify in 2000. Mead’s dramatic reduction can be seen by comparing a photo I took 8 years ago with my most recent shot.

According to the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, the level of the lake behind one of the world’s greatest dams is currently at 1,118 feet but is projected to decrease to 1,099 feet by July 1 of this year. The reservoir’s maximum is 1,229 feet, reached during the early 1980s. The lake’s decrease has resulted in the recent moving of boat launch areas and marinas. A study by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at San Diego predicts there is a 50 percent chance Lake Mead will not have enough water for hyroelectric power generation by 2017 and will run dry by 2021. The study also indicated there is a 10 percent chance Mead will run out of usable water by 2014. Ninety percent of southern Nevada’s water comes from the lake, with releases regulated by the Southern Nevada Water Authority. 88% of the water used by the city of Las Vegas comes from Lake Mead. The electricity generated by the dam is distributed as follows (Bureau of Reclamation stats): Nevada, 23.4 percent; Arizona 19 percent; and California, 57.6 percent. The city of Los Angeles, 266 miles away, receives 16% of the power generated by the dam but Las Vegas, only 30 miles from the powerhouse, receives only 4%. The reason for the small allocation is because, when the power was being divided up, Las Vegas was only a small railroad town without any great demand of electricity. Times change but apparently allocations don’t. Bottom line is if Hoover Dam can no longer generate power, a number of southwestern states are going to be greatly affected. That region obviously needs a lot more snow in the mountains feeding the Colorado river and way above normal rainfall, the latter very hard to come by in the desert. Some of the power distribution towers and much of the face of the dam are shown in the shot I took (above) just before we returned from our very interesting Saturday morning photo outing on Lake Mead. Next time you’re in Las Vegas, take a day to drive out and take the Bureau of Reclamation dam tour. The current $11 cost for adults and $9 for children and seniors sure beats the games on The Strip for time well invested.

Just once - 3/28/2008

At the news conference former governor of New York Eliot Spitzer used to announce his resignation from office, there she was. I believe the eyes and hearts of most TV viewers went out to her: Silda Wall Sptizer stood there, by her man, as he resigned because of his reported activities (is that the best word?) with a prostitute. “Standing by your man” seems to be common when some high-powered politico, business or religious leader gets caught with his pants down. But why do these wives go through this?

“Just once I’d like to see a male politician caught in a sex scandal stand up there at the press conference by himself. You want to be an alpha male with extra helpings of testosterone and appetites that cannot be denied? Fine, but if you get caught, Be. A Man. Don’t drag your wife in front of the cameras to prove how strong your marriage is. ‘No, darling, (he should say) I could never live with myself if I let you humiliate yourself in public to help my career.’” That’s part of the opening paragraph of a column written by Katha Politt in the March 31, 2008 edition of The Nation. Her excellent op-ed piece is titled, “Eliot Sptizer: John Q. Public” and you can find it online at TheNation.com.

I’VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF DRIVING THE AUTOBAHN IN GERMANY in an Opel Kadette (GM Europe) that had trouble making 70 miles per hour. This is not good when one has German cars and drivers going by at upwards of 100 m.p.h. And when I dared to creep out into the passing lane to get past a slow moving truck I immediately had a Mercedes or BMW logo in my rear view mirror, breathing down my trunk. So I was surprised to hear that the Autobahn, upon which the design of our Interstate highway system was built, is actually safer than it’s American counterpart. The History Channel special I was watching said this is so because some very strict driving rules are enforced. Chief among them is no tailgating! And, I believe, when the Germans make a law, they enforce it. For example, the Autobahn police have worked out a system to determine if a driver is following another car too closely. They do this with a sophisticated system combining computers and cameras. The computer continually measures distances between cars and if somebody’s “tailgating,” click – a photo is snapped of the driver and his license plate. But here’s the kicker: the fine. Fines for tailgating are based on a driver’s ability to pay. The average fine is about $500 but very rich dudes, to whom several hundred Euros wouldn’t mean thing, are fined in the thousands of Euros (and even more in dollars these days). The documentary I was watching reported one of the higher fines amounted to $20,000 for one incident of tailgating. Ach-tung! That is an interesting concept: traffic fines based on one’s ability to pay.

WITH THE TRAGIC BUT EXPECTED NEWS that the U. S. military death toll in Iraq has reached 4,000 soldiers, while I grieve for the individual - not identified as of this writing - and his or her family, I also remember who got us into this monumental and combined example of a very bad Presidential decision, botched military planning and the careless use of the military – including the only example of using National Guard as a default draft – in American history. When Congress gave the President the authorization he asked for to use military force against a country that, the administration said, could launch nuclear missiles against Great Britain, I expected, as did Congress, he would use armed conflict as a last resort, not as a first option. He chose the latter. As a result, along with the loss of so many Americans and countless Iraqi citizens, America has spent over $522.5 billion so far on the President’s very poor decision. But America’s private contractors and our military-industrial complex do not want this war to end. Why not? One reason is the average annual income of CEOs at the top 30 military contractors is $9,095,756. In comparison, the average income of a an Army private in combat is $25,942. The income of the highest paid military contractor CEO is reported at $24,399,747 annually. These figures come from a study by the Institute for Policy Studies at www.ips-dc.org. And there is one candidate running for President who expects this war to continue – and I believe he will do all he can to make it so – for 100 years. If you like this policy, vote for him. I’m not.

Don't complain - 3/21/2008

I’m a “recovering” complainer. Although lately it seems I’ve been complaining about everything but, hey, with JUST CAUSE! At least in my opinion. Apparently there are other folks like me because a new book about “complaining” is a best seller. I ran across a copy a few weeks ago in the nonfiction area of the new Carlson library (Fargo Public Library, southside branch, on 32nd avenue). It’s titled A Complaint-Free World; How to Stop Complaining and Start Enjoying the Life You Always Wanted, ©2007, published by Doubleday. The book was written by Will Bowen, “lead minister” at Christ Church Unity in Kansas City, Missouri. Pastor Bowen’s complete biography and information about his “complaint free organization” can be found by doing a Google search on Will Bowen. The first link that comes up should take you to his section of the “Bright Sight Group” website.

Bowen offers a “21-day challenge” to help anyone become a “complaint free person.” Through his church, he has freely distributed tens of thousands of purple plastic bracelets. He instructs you to wear the bracelet on either wrist and when you catch yourself complaining, gossiping or criticizing, you are supposed to move the bracelet to your other wrist. And then you start all over, keeping the bracelet on that wrist until you complain about something. My wife says if I tried this she’d see nothing but a continuous streak of purple zipping from one of my wrists to the other. Bowen says it takes the average person four to eight months to achieve stability of the bracelet on one wrist. But, he claims, it can be done.

Well, I don’t have one of those purple bracelets but this book has made me more conscious of the futility of complaining all the time about every little thing. This book reminds me of the great song lyric by Jill Jackson and Sy Miller, often heard during the holiday season: “Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me.” And I’m trying to follow that advice. My new response when somebody asks me “how’s it going?” is “I can’t complain.” Even though, of course, I’d like to. Now I suppose I’ll run across a book about the consequences of holding anger inside. Can’t win. But, hey, who’s complaining?

PHOTOGRAPHY WEBSITES AND A PODCAST: Came across an interesting and informative photographic podcast recently and now I’m an every week fan. It’s called “TWIP,” This Week in Photography and you’ll find it – along with an excellent website full of photographic tips, etc. – at www.twipphoto.com. While Brooks Jensen’s excellent LensWork.com (companion to the classy and unique LensWork printed magazine) deals mostly with the art of photography, Twipphoto.com features panel discussions expressing views about photographic hardware and software – covering more of the technical side of the field. Both of these sites offer podcasts you can subscribe to free-of-charge through their respective websites or via Apple’s iTunes. Another website I discovered by listening to TWIP is www.KenRockwell.com. At first glance, it looks like lots of useful help in furthering one’s education in digital photography.

“INNOCENT” MONEY LAUNDERING? A former federal prosecutor who is experienced in money laundering laws says the motivation in moving money around would be critical as to whether or not a law is broken. If former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer was simply trying to conceal his activities from his wife (the alleged purchasing of call girl services), it would be considered different from trying to put one over on the feds. “There are innocent reasons for structuring “transitions” (money laundering) that need to be considered,” said Dale P. Kelberman, former federal prosecutor in Baltimore, quoted in The New York Times, March 12, 2008. So, if you deceive the government, that’s bad. But if you deceive your spouse, that’s “innocent?” Mmm. I need to run that one by the Mrs.

Goodbye, Dakota - 3/7/2008

You were a golden retriever and one of the best of a wonderful breed. You were special because you were more than a pet, you were a beloved member of my daughter’s family. In your short life of nine years that came to end on February 25, 2008, you grew up with two other girls who loved you, as they went from grade school to college. To say you will be missed is insufficient. You were part of the fabric of a family.

I didn’t realize how ideal a family pet a golden retriever could be until I met the Florida born puppy they named Dakota. When we visited our kids in Tampa, her swishing tail greeted us each morning. She loved receiving affection as much as humans enjoyed giving it to her. When she wanted to be petted and scratched, she lifted a paw as if to grab your hand and pull it toward her.

Dakota was there in most family photos, especially at Christmas. On our visits, I loved taking her for walks in the Florida sunshine and she liked everyone we met on the trails. Her neighborhood friends were always glad to see her; she brought a smile to everyone she encountered. Even the cows she watched across the backyard fence seemed to be her friends.

Dakota was a gentle, patient and beautiful animal. As we say our goodbyes, memories come back of all the fun and heartwarming moments she gave us. Those were great times with a family dog we will never forget.

Dakota’s passing from an acute cancer sent me to Wikipedia.org to look up some facts about the breed she so beautifully represented. Golden retrievers are large dogs, historically known for retrieving waterfowl and upland game during hunting. That’s why they were bred to have a soft mouth so as not to damage the game they bring back; they instinctively love water. Alas, that was not Dakota. Sure, she looked like the classic hunting dog she was meant to be but her kinship with hunting pretty well stopped there. Last summer, she accompanied her Florida family to the shores of Lake Vermilion in northern Minnesota. Standing by the water’s edge, her presence excited a bunch of ducks floating nearby. “Quack, quack, quack!” they shouted, communicating the news a large hunting dog looked their way. But that’s all Dakota would do: look at them. She didn’t even like the water, let alone dive in. In fact, we threw some bread crumbs on the lake to try to get her to swim out toward the ducks. Nope. The closest Dakota liked to be to a body of water was laying on the lanai next to the swimming pool, basking under the tropical sun she loved so much.

So her training was not to be a hunter and that’s just fine. Her lot in life was to warm hearts and bring smiles to all she encountered. She was a family dog. And she excelled in that role for her entire life. As American writer Agnes Turnbull said, “Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.” That may not be true for all dogs, but it most certainly described Dakota. And that’s why it’s so hard to say goodbye.

On not giving up - 2/29/2008

During the highly charged and contentious political year now underway, it’s frustrating when everyone is so polarized. Hot headed talk radio hosts contribute daily to this rationality-free environment, selling the concept of “there’s no room for compromise.” Expressing your point of view while engaging in intelligent, meaningful conversation with friends and relatives seems impossible (and probably is). Despite this, you should not give up. Your opinion is just as worthwhile – if not more so – than that of egocentric bloviators on political talk radio and television. And what you think is certainly as important as the rantings of your Uncle Harry or even your brother-in-law. Given this situation, it might be useful to review what successful people have said about not giving up:

“Many people fail because they quit too soon. They lose faith when the signs are against them. They do not have the courage to hold on, to keep fighting in spite of that which seems insurmountable. If more of us would strike out and attempt the ‘impossible,’ we very soon would find the truth of that old saw that nothing is impossible. Abolish fear and you can accomplish anything you wish.” That from the son of the founder of a company that’s still successful after 140 years, Dr. Charles E. Welch, a dentist.

“Suggest what is right. Oppose what is wrong. What you think, speak. Try to satisfy yourself and not others; and if you are not popular, you will at least be respected. Popularity lasts but a day, respect will descend as a heritage to your children.”— T. C. Halliburton, a Canadian politician from Nova Scotia who was also a lawyer, judge and writer (no relation, as far as I can tell, to the Halliburton energy services company).

And the late seven-term Congresswoman from Texas, Shirley Chisholm, wrote in her book Unbought and Unbossed: “There is little place in the political scheme of things for an independent, creative personality, for a fighter. Anyone who takes that role must pay a price.” Today, the problem is nobody feels strongly compelled enough to pay the price required by the truth. Many of us – including myself – have become lazy chickens.And this representative democracy was not founded – nor was it sustained for over 200 years – by uncaring cowards.

WRITING FOR THE PRESIDENT: According to a recent book by Robert Draper, national correspondent for GQ magazine, President George W. Bush requires a distinctive style his speechwriters are compelled to follow:

“Ever mindful of Bush’s severe editing pen…use short sentences, direct language (forget about adjectives!), no downbeat thoughts. Never begin a sentence with the word it. Who knows where got this stuff? He told former advisor Karen Hughes that one of his most memorable courses at Yale had been The History of American Oratory – but the truth was, Bush made them (his speechwriters) better writers. And he did his best editing during read-throughs. Frowning at murky prose, the President would remark: ‘C’mon boys, we’re losing altitude here.’”

The above is from the book entitled Dead Certain – the Presidency of George W. Bush, ©2007, published by the Free Press. It’s a good read, more factual than partisan, giving close-up details on what went on with the President and his entourage the morning of September 11, 2001, while conducting a “photo-op” in a second grade class at the Emma E. Brooker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida.

Draper also provides a fast-moving narrative based on eyewitness descriptions of presidential staff actions during the morning of 9/11/2001. He takes you inside the famous Situation Room and into “the Bunker,” a bomb-hardened area deep in the bowels of the White House. There’s also a section on what happened within the administration during hurricane Katrina. Throughout, this book is about people and their reactions to various events during the two George W. Bush terms. No matter what you think of the President – or which political pole you’re drawn to – this is contemporary history you’ll find both insightful and informative.

Am I a Luddite? - 2/15/2008

Awhile back in this column, I ranted a bit on my concern that the printed book was being forgotten by libraries during their stampede to embrace digital media (see Wordchipper #120 in the “columnists” section of www.TheFMExtra.com). One of the reactions I received on that piece – along with much agreement from a number of readers including a very positive reaction published in the Letters section of this paper – was an e-mail of severe criticism in which the writer called me a “Luddite.” I was impressed by the use of that term because it did send me to my favorite online dictionary, m-w.com (Merriam-Webster Online). You’re probably way ahead of me on this and were already familiar with the definition of a word that stopped me.

Luddite is spelled with a capital letter because it’s referring to “Ned Ludd, from Leicestershire, who was one of a group of 19th century English workmen who destroyed a labor-saving knitting frame.” This guy was very opposed to technological change. By my expressing concern about a trend in public libraries seeming to emphasize DVDs, video games, and CDs versus a long standing commitment to the printed book and other paper-based publications and materials, I was classified by my critic as a “Luddite.” I had opined that the new south Fargo Carlson branch of the Fargo Public Library appeared to be following the “technology first” trend. However, I have done some further research and am now optimistic books will remain the FPL’s first priority.

I was reminded of this episode last week when I reread parts of a book by the late American author, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., who passed away on April 11 of last year. The volume I’m referring to was his last book, A Man Without A Country. Chapter 6 begins: “I have been called a Luddite. I welcome it.” He writes of Mr. Ludd and mentions: “In 1813 the British government executed by hanging seventeen men for ‘machine breaking,’ as it was called, a capital crime.” Vonnegut rails against technological “improvements,” including nuclear bombs and computers. He also reports in this highly informative chapter that Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn…was the first novel ever to be typewritten.”

Believe me, I am no Luddite. I’m using a very powerful “dual core” personal computer, manufactured right here in Fargo by Daktech Computers (love their 7-year warranty and, if I need service, I can just drop off my machine at their factory in south Fargo). I also use a 2003 version of Microsoft Word. I haven’t felt the need to move from Windows XP to Vista. Yet.

I also have two specially programmed buttons on my keyboard, one for www.Wikipedia.com (the world-wide free encyclopedia) and another for the online dictionary I mentioned above. I use them all the time when writing this column, along with, of course, the world’s number one search engine and spellchecker, Google. Incidentally, I find Google is better at figuring out what I’m trying to spell than any dedicated electronic dictionary. I type a pretty wild guess at the word or proper name I’m trying to spell into Google’s main search box and, almost 100% of the time, their amazing service comes back with the correct spelling. “Do you mean such and such?” Google asks. Yes! And then I have the correct spelling. Next time you’re having trouble with a word the dictionary can’t seem to figure out, try typing it into Google. Chances are very good you’ll get back the word you’re looking and it will be spelled correctly.

Speaking of books, I came across this observation in the New York Times Book Review: “I read about a family whose home consists of a series of spaces so strictly planned that they are obliged to give away their books as soon as they've read them. I think they have misunderstood the way books work. Reading a book is only the first step in the relationship. After you've finished it, the book enters its real career. It stands there as a badge, a blackmailer, a monument, a scar. It's both a flaw in the room, like a crack in the plaster, and a decoration. The contents of someone's bookcase are part of a person’s history, like an ancestoral portrait.”

Computers are magical tools. But I stand firm. Printed books should still and always be a public library’s very first and greatest priority.

Bette! - 2/8/2008

Frank. Dean. Celine. Barbra. Tony. Even Bob. With the great ones, their second names instantly come to mind when you think of their first names. And so it is with Bette, as in Midler. They couldn’t have picked a better (no pun intended) performer to succeed Celine Dion in The Coliseum at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas starting on the 20th of this month. Following Celine’s almost five-year run, Bette is reportedly contracted for two years of five shows a week for 20 weeks annually. She normally plays to audiences of 20,000 or more per night but because of the more intimate environment of Caesar’s sound-studio-quality Coliseum theater audiences will be limited to “only” 4,500 fans each night. I understand Dion played to sellout crowds every night of her run and I would expect Midler to do the same. Elton John, a regular sub for Dion, is set to fill-in for about 50 shows this year during Midler’s breaks.

The “Divine Miss M” was born December 1, 1945, in Paterson, New Jersey. Her parents moved to Hawaii shortly after her birth. Legend has it Bette was named after the late screen actress Bette Davis, although Davis pronounced her first name using two syllables. Midler comes from humble beginnings with her mom working as a seamstress and housewife and her dad was a house painter. She attended high school in the islands and majored in drama at the University of Hawaii.

If you’re a Bette Midler fan, as I am, you know much of the rest of the story: countless hit recordings and albums including Grammy’s coveted “Record of the Year” award in 1989 for her #1 hit single, Wind Beneath My Wings, the theme from the 1988 film, Beaches, in which she starred.

In 1992, Midler won a tv emmy award for her memorable and poignant performance of the Sinatra hit, One For My Baby (And One More for the Road), as she sang it to Johnny Carson on his final appearance as host of The Tonight Show.

Bette’s Caesar’s Palace run is being built around the theme The Showgirl Must Go On! and you can learn all about it by listening to two insightful and candid interviews by Steve Friess on the website theStripPodcast.com. Friess visited with the diva while she worked at a rehearsal hall in New York City constructing the creative underpinnings of her Las Vegas production. You’ll find two audio interviews with Midler on theStripPodcast.com website – listen to them on your computer or download to your Apple iPod or any mp3 audio player.

Steve has a special way of drawing out the “realness” of his interview subjects, which, in Bette Midler’s case, was not the biggest challenge he’s faced. With Miss M, fortunately, what you see is what you hear – I’ve noticed she simply can’t be anything but real. Incidentally, Steve’s interviews with Las Vegas celebs, as well as with Vegas business leaders and moguls, are truly unique – among the best in the business – and they’re all conveniently archived on theStripPodcast website. Co-host of the weekly prodcast, Miles (have never been able to find his last name), is a superb professional, keeping the approximately eighty to ninety minute shows together. If you’re a Vegas fan, like I am, once you start listening to these guys, you’ll be hooked. The neat part of this web based program versus a regular radio show is web programs are always there for listening or downloading. Save ‘em on your computer, on your iPod or stop by the archive on the website itself, 24/7.

The Mrs. and I are ticketed to see Bette’s new show at Caesar’s on a Tuesday night in March. I previously reported on our experiencing Celine’s program in the same fabulous theatre and, of course, I’ll provide a review of her successor’s production this spring. Needless to say, we’re looking forward to a totally memorable evening with the Divine Miss M.!

Misuse of language- 2/1/2008

Merriam-Webster, Encarta and other recognized language authorities define the term “Democratic Party” as “one of two major U.S. political parties.” These experts call a member of that party a “Democrat.” However, the Fox News Channel and most right-wing political extremists, e.g., Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich and others who know better or should, refer to the Democratic Party as the “Democrat” Party.

This misuse of language is, of course, a thinly veiled slur intended to put down and needle anyone who dares call himself a member of the loyal and major opposition. By inappropriately using the noun “Democrat” to modify the noun “party,” they believe, in a twisted, warped way, they’re advancing their own version of a “conservative” political agenda.

Practically speaking, Democrats don’t call the Republican Party, the “Republic” Party. Why should the Democratic Party be termed the “Democrat” Party? A Google search on the term “Democratic Party” yields approximately 40 million hits while the sarcastic term, “Democrat Party” brings up fewer than 2 million. This according to an excellent article on these terms in the August 7, 2006 New Yorker magazine by Hendrik Hertzberg entitled The “IC” Factor. He writes, “The broader literate public (judging by their respective web search results) comes down on the “Democratic” side.” It reminded Hertzberg of the contempt many people had–during the years of the Berlin Wall–for the term “German Democratic Republic,” when, in fact, the GDR was a socialist state controlled by Moscow.

The origins of the use of the noun “Democrat,” when the adjective “Democratic” is properly called for, goes back to the late Republican Senator Joseph R. McCarthy who, Hertzberg says, “..made it a regular part of his arsenal of insults.” One of the most respected authorities on use of the English language, that conservative business magazine of Great Britain, The Economist, judges the use of “Democrat” as an adjective grammatically wrong.

I totally agree and the reason I thought of bringing it up here is a call that came into C-SPAN’s Washington Journal program one morning last week. The caller on the Republican line criticized C-SPAN and CNN and everybody else (except Fox) for using the term “Democratic” instead of “Democrat” in referring to the party he has a special kind of hatred for. I couldn’t believe this partisan idiocy, but then again maybe I can.

STANDING UP AGAINST BULL: Intentional misuses of other terminology was boldly refuted in 2006 when finalists and recipients of the prestigious National Design Award in Communication were invited to the White House to receive their awards from the First Lady, Laura Bush. They declined their awards.

This episode is detailed in a chapter of an excellent new book on the philosophy of design entitled Seventy-Nine Short Essays on Design by Michael Bierut, published in 2007 by the Princeton Architectural Press. In collectively refusing their honors through a lengthy letter to the First Lady, they included the following: “Graphic designers are intimately engaged in the construction of language, both visual and verbal. And while our work often dissects, rearranges, rethinks, questions, and plays with language, it is our fundamental belief, and a central tenet of good design, that words and images must be used responsibly...especially when the matters articulated are of vital importance to the life of our nation...it is our belief that the current administration of George W. Bush has used the mass communication of words and images in ways that have seriously harmed political discourse in America.” The designers cited examples of what they believed were distortions of terms, including “healthy forests” and “mission accomplished.” The Bush administration has,” they wrote, “demonstrated disdain for the responsible use of mass media, language and the intelligence of the American people.” I applaud the courageous, accurate and articulate stand of these award winners in communication

Thoughts for the New Year - 1/4/2008

2008 is underway. As you begin using your new calendar, here are some timeless thoughts I think about when I’m trying to motivate myself:

Around 1800, a German poet, novelist and playwright eloquently summed up what happens when you stop procrastinating something as important as a cherished dream. His name was Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (pronounced “GER-tuh”) and he said, “There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans. The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that never otherwise would have occurred. Whatever you can do—or dream you can do—begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”

James Allen, a more contemporary philosopher, advocated “cultivating the garden of the mind” as a way of breaking the procrastination barrier. He stressed the connection between what you think, what you feel is right and constructive action. He said, “Cherish your visions; cherish your ideals; cherish the music that stirs your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow all delightful conditions, all heavenly environment. Of these, if you will remain true to them, your world will at last be built.”

If you’re doing more dreaming than doing, paste this admonishment from the English poet William Butler Yeats to your bathroom mirror: “Dreams have responsibilities.” Fulfill your obligations to yourself. Make your dreams happen. Starting now.

And the late Louis L’Amour, the great writer of the American West and native North Dakotan (he was born in Jamestown) said, “We accept the verdict of the past until the need for change cries out loudly enough to force upon us a choice between the comforts of further inertia and the irksomeness of action.” Where are you in a particular decision you have to make? Maybe that thought will help you get moving on it.

Related to the above ideas, Attorney Kerry Randall advises this: “Contrary to popular opinion, life does not get better by chance but by change. And this change always takes place inside; it is the change of thought that creates a better life.”

“Assume for a moment that you have in your possession a million dollars in gold. Would you protect it? Would you safeguard this treasure? Would you respect its value? Of course you would. You might even hire bodyguards or install security devices to ensure its safety. In comparison, your mind and self-image are worth far more than one million dollars. They’re priceless! Your mind is the exclusive source of all you will create spiritually, financially or materially in your life. Your level of joy, happiness and peace of mind originate from one place—your mind. Now ask yourself, do you protect your mind as carefully as you protect your physical assets?”— Dennis Kimbro and Napoleon Hill in an more recent edition of Think and Grow Rich, from Fawcett-Columbine.

After he “retired” from being the 39th President of the United States of America Jimmy Carter, began a new career as one of the most energetic and inspiring former Presidents in American history.

Here is a quotation from the former President that sums up his philosophy of living and doing. He said, “I have one life and one chance to make it count for something. I’m free to choose what that something is, and the something I’ve chosen is my faith. Now, my faith goes beyond theology and religion and requires considerable work and effort. My faith demands—this is not optional—my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have, to try to make a difference.”

The above quotation is from an article in the New York Times magazine, written by Jim Wooten, author of Dasher, a biography of Jimmy Carter. I came across this text in a book by Robert Fulghum entitled Words I Wish I Would Have Written. If you ever see this book in a used book store, like B.D.S. Books in Fargo, or in the remainder sections at Barnes & Noble or Borders, I recommend you pick it up. It’s an excellent reference containing some very wise and interesting quotations. It’s the stuff that inspired Fulghum, who wrote All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.

Hey, I like that “Larry, The Cable Guy.” Caught him in a 60 Minutes interview replayed on The Country Music Channel. He makes me laugh with lines like this: “My mother weighs 370 pounds. She’s good lookin’ though. In fact, she a runway model. Out at the airport.” – Thanks for reading The Extra - have a great 2008!

Gore Vidal on Johnny Carson - 12/21/07

Gore Vidal has written a relatively new autobiography entitled Point to Point Navigation, published by Doubleday, and it’s a good read. Vidal is 82 and has known a lot of important people. He writes about them in this memoir and one of the most interesting celebrities he recounts is the late Johnny Carson, who died of emphysema in 2005 at age 79. Vidal appeared on the Tonight Show a number of times and enjoyed Carson’s friendship off camera.

I’ve always heard that Carson was a loner, shy in offstage social situations and that’s why he avoided public and even private celebrations and events. I didn’t realize how different Carson’s public persona was from his private life until I read what Vidal wrote about Carson’s response to the death of his longtime producer and friend, Freddie DeCordova. Vidal learned from DeCordova’s widow, Janet DeCordova, that she contacted Carson about coming to a memorial service for her husband, who, at the time, had just passed away. Carson apparently told the new widow he couldn’t come to the service because (he’s quoted as saying), “Everyone thinks I’m Johnny Carson but I’m not anymore.” However, the star did send the widow a “large check,” Vidal reports, and adds, “How odd it must be not to be the self you have spent a lifetime perfecting.” I guess I didn’t realize how deep Carson’s reclusiveness ran.

In Point to Point, Vidal also writes of his residence in Italy and the times he spent there, about his work at the New York Times including his personal interactions with famous newsmakers and authors. It’s 276 pages of tightly written narrative.

I was in the audience at NBC in Burbank, California for two Tonight Show tapings, once when Carson was on duty. It was indeed memorable and there was a sense of witnessing a bit of show biz and television history. My wife and I were very lucky to experience it. Earlier this year, my daughter gave me a 3-DVD set of old Carson Tonight shows, going back to the start of the late night king’s run in October of 1962. Carson took over for the second host of the Tonight Show, Jack Paar, when Paar decided to quit. This DVD collection, I believe, is the only one of its kind authorized by the Carson organization and has got to be the best. The discs cover the Tonight Show library right up through the final show, May 22, 1992. Thirty years of programs, in well chosen and very funny clips, without commercials.

The package, entitled The Tonight Show; The Original Ultimate Collection, Volumes 1-3, also includes an outstanding and historic prime time special, first aired on NBC in 1982. It documents Carson’s return visit to the town in which he grew up: Norfolk, Nebraska (he was born in Corning, Iowa). The visit to his boyhood home is especially interesting. The DVD set is currently priced at $39.95 at the Carson Entertainment website: www.johnnycarson.com and is also available in stores.

The Carson website also features podcasts of selected audio only clips from selected Tonight Show telecasts. These are free to download to your computer and/or transfer to your Apple iPod or any mp3 audio player. In addition, the site offers a free video clip for computer viewing; the currently featured video is in a holiday theme: Johnny rants about the futility of fruitcakes (the Christmas food).

HERE’S SOME GOOD ADVICE: Life is short. Break the rules. Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile. That from an anonymous source, received via e-mail. Thanks, Sharon!

AND THEN THERE’S SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO in Phoenix, Arizona. He’s the law in Maricopa County, the 6th largest county in the nation and he’s the sheriff who created a tent city for prisoners. Arpaio makes his prisoners wear pink and eat bologna sandwiches and he’s not one bit sympathetic with criminals. Apparently the voters who continually re-elect him by wide margins agree. In an e-mail I received recently, sheriff Joe was quoted as saying, “It’s 120 degrees in Iraq and our soldiers are living in tents too and they have to wear full battle gear, but they didn’t commit any crimes,” Arpaio lectures his prisoners, “so shut your damned mouths!” The maverick sheriff also believes if all prisons were like his, there would be a lot less crime and/or repeat offenders. One of his fans remarked, “criminals should be punished for their crimes – not live in luxury until it’s time for parole, only to go out and commit another crime so they can get back in to live on taxpayers money and enjoy things taxpayers can’t afford to have for themselves.” Mmmm – I wonder if this really works.

New library emphasizes computers over books. - 12/14/07

Walk into the new south Fargo branch of the Fargo Public Library on 32nd Avenue and the first thing you notice is row after row of computers. In fact, if you hadn’t read the sign on the door saying this was a library, you might mistake the facility’s main reading room for a classroom in computer science.

Before the Fargo Library Board insisted on constructing not one but three new buildings in our community – rushing to an ill-advised vote without even knowing where the “main library” would be located or how their three-way building spree would be funded – I e-mailed the board stating three new buildings were not necessary. I told them the community only needed a single facility or, better yet, remodel (not demolish, as they have done) the downtown building. I also told them libraries are not the reference sources they once were, thanks to Google, Wikipedia, and millions of other information resources now available through a personal computer. Most people either have or can get access to the Internet through their own machines at home or through readily available computers at taxpayer funded schools. Even shopping malls and coffee shops now offer free Internet access.

This brings up an underlying question: is it the proper role of a public library to supply internet access to the public at large? I don’t think so. If public access to the Internet is so important, it can be done more efficiently without fancy new buildings (certainly without three new bricks and mortar projects in Fargo). While it may be appropriate for a library to have some computers available for Internet access and for searching the card catalog, certainly it was not necessary for the Fargo Public Library to go to the extreme it did at the new south branch. And, I assume, the board plans to duplicate this setup on the north side and at the yet to be constructed post-demolition remake of the downtown “main” library.

May I be so radical and so bold as to suggest libraries should be, first and foremost, about books, not computers. A few weeks ago I commented on a 1995 book by Clifford Stoll, Ph.D., that was all the rave of the American Library Association and of librarians everywhere: Silicon Snake Oil – Second Thoughts on the Information Highway, published by Doubleday. Stoll makes a strong case for books over computers. Librarians loved his criticism of replacing books with databases so much so that they invited him to speak at their annual convention; I wonder if library management and boards ever considered his points.

Dr. Stoll admits, as I do, to being an early Internet junkie, i.e., enthusiastic user, back when the Internet was spelled with a lower case “i” in articles (and books) written mostly by scientists. I use a personal computer – and the Internet – several times a day. My use has grown, not diminished. These machines have become what Mac genius Steve Jobs predicted they would: “a bicycle for the mind.” But I also value books and I believe public libraries should be mainly about books. Unfortunately, the Fargo Public Library now appears to rate the Internet, DVDs, CDs and other electronic media (in various transitory formats) as more significant today than printed books. Transitory? Have you attempted to play an 8- track tape or a vinyl record lately? Soon, the current crop of “regular” DVDs will be replaced by Blu-Ray and HD-DVD discs.

On the other hand, printed books are permanent. Although crumbling, researchers are still able to interpret the Dead Sea Scrolls (100 A.D.) and a copy of the Gutenberg Bible, first printed in the fifteenth century, is still readable. These documents are available centuries later because they are made of words inscribed or printed on forms of paper. A very young child still begins a lifelong love of reading by being read to from what libraries seem to consider archaic: a book.

While the personal computer combined with the Internet is “technology indistinguishable from magic,” borrowing from Arthur C. Clarke’s eloquent phrase, there ought to a public entity dedicated primarily to the availability, preservation and even promotion of books. We used to call these entities libraries. However, if the trend currently being demonstrated in Fargo is any indication, computers are the new stars at the library. Not books. And, to me, that’s sad.

Vegas Surprise - 12/07/07

Planning our Thanksgiving week trip to Las Vegas presented me with a pleasant surprise. In searching for a hotel room on The Strip for a couple of nights, before heading out to the kids’ home in suburban Summerlin to eat turkey and spend a few days with the western branch of our family, I surfed over to a site I hadn’t explored before: www.Vegas.com. I found a $50 rate at the Flamingo Hilton, located center Strip, right across from Caesars Palace (see photo below). This is a great location and I was able to book a king double for two nights including all the taxes, for a total of $115! That’s remarkably reasonable given today’s Strip hotel prices. As a bonus, we received an upgrade to one of the Flamingo’s newer “GO rooms.” Although a little too modern for my taste (when you get up in the night to use the bathroom, the glass walls light up the entire room like a stadium), these upgraded digs did boast a 42-inch on-the-wall high definition TV and a feature-packed Denon stereo system with DVD player. You could even open and close the drapes using a bedside button.

To lock-in this deal, I had to give Vegas.com my credit card number and they said they would (and did) debit my card immediately. I could have purchased “insurance” on the investment (for $9.95) but it was only good a full three days prior to arrival. Since we were already within a week of our visit, I nixed that and – in the spirit of Las Vegas – took the gamble and won. Note: if you call the hotel right away to see if your reservation is real, the hotel will not have your name until a couple of days before your arrival. Reason: Vegas.com buys a “block” of rooms at a certain rate and only supply the hotel with the names of purchasers a few days before a guest’s arrival. No problem. The front desk indeed had my name when I arrived and confirmed I was prepaid. The Flamingo wanted a credit card only for possible “incidentals,” e.g., phone calls, meals, bar tabs, etc.

Prior to booking, I checked Flamingo’s own website and the rate for my $50 room was listed at well over $150 per night. So, by any Vegas standard, I walked into a bargain. Be aware these rates come and go. At this writing, I couldn’t find my Flamingo deal again, however, you’ll find other low rates currently being offered, some for under $40 per night on the Strip and there are similar bargains at properties on Fremont Street downtown. Vegas.com also offers show tickets and even gives you a listing of restaurants, buffets, what’s on the menus of many buffets. The site also touts “secret deals” at selected eateries. In order to receive a particular restaurant discount, one has to mention they saw it on Vegas.com, as these specials are generally not advertised or listed by the restaurant. Mentioning a bargain you caught on the website may be worth a try.

For penny pinchers (like me), here’s another tip: Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon is located next door to the Flamingo, just outside the hotel’s front door on Las Vegas Blvd. While the cheapest coffee at a stands inside the Flamingo was $2.89, a similar sized cup at a Seattle’s Best Coffee bar, located just inside the front door at Bill’s, was $1.50. A large coffee was only $2. On the two mornings of our stay a the Flamingo, I simply slipped next door to Bill’s and bought a couple of coffees for the Mrs. and me. But you may not be that cheap. Like someone said, “a penny saved is a penny earned.” Same goes for dollars!

What has seemed to increase in Vegas is the cab line at McCarran airport. Arriving Monday noon, we had no problem immediately getting a cab. However, on one recent Friday night, the Wall Street Journal reported over 500 people waiting in the airport cab line. And, with today’s huge increase in Strip traffic, transit times have lengthened, with resulting higher fares. The short mileage from the airport to the Flamingo was $14 on the meter, plus whatever tip you tack on. No, Jack Benny here didn’t give the guy a quarter – I’m not that cheap, contrary to what my friends say about me!

Why I don't like Flying - 11/30/07

It’s definitely not because of the pilots - God knows they’re doing all they can to get people where they want to go, safely, despite the questionable policies of airline management and the government. Pilots put up with tough, family unfriendly schedules, an understaffed, underfunded federal flight control system, unfair pay and the latest hurdle, at least for Northwest Airlines, “out-sourced maintenance.”

It’s not because of the flight attendants either; they’re putting up with packed airplanes and grumpy passengers. Same goes for the gate agents and baggage handlers. They’re ALL doing their jobs as best they can in a system that appears more broken every day. Meanwhile, airline senior management seems to be wrecking the infrastructure of their own companies by a number of “cost saving” decisions that are clearly not working at the employee and customer level. In other words, proper care is not being taken of both human and hardware resources.

The reasons I don’t like flying today are several:

• finding a fare that’s fair. The fun begins when you start thinking about going someplace. How do you know you’re not paying a higher fare than the guy who stopped by the airline’s website yesterday or who will select a fare tomorrow. You don’t. So if you’re planning a trip to Las Vegas, the gambling begins the minute you book your ticket.

• the illusion of security they call the TSA (Transportation Security Administration). I’ve written about this before so I won’t detail again the mis-targeted, nonproductive hassles the U.S. gov’t gives law abiding citizens of this country in the name of a so-called “War on Terror.” Meanwhile, many vendors, staffed by people that should be searched daily, have free run of airports and airplanes. Going through TSA lines at airports is one of the most degrading, humiliating experiences a U. S. citizen voluntarily endures this side of a proctological exam. The procto, however, has a better chance of being useful.

• overcrowded airplanes. Seats are getting smaller and people are getting bigger. Unless you’re lucky enough to enjoy the expanse and expense of a first class seat, most people flying today quickly learn how sardines feel in pressure-packed cans.

• “out-sourced” maintenance. This is a new one. My spouse and I experienced this “money-saving innovation” November 19th on Northwest flight 1758 out of Fargo, headed for Las Vegas (via Minneapolis, of course) to see our kids over Thanksgiving. The airlines demand you arrive at the airport plenty early to check yourself in at their kiosk. Even if you obtained your boarding pass online at home, you still have to stop at a kiosk for do-it-yourself luggage checking (getting by with carry-on is no longer practical these days, thanks to TSA rules).

Certainly the passengers are doing their part but is airline management? Both going and coming, we sat in the plane, at the gate, while an out-sourced maintenance guy attempted to fix “two minor problems” and “sign off on the paperwork,” according to the captain. Result: missed connections for some, lost luggage for others, or both. The problem in Fargo was indeed minor: seat 3B, up in first class, broke on the flight from Minneapolis the night before. Apparently, this “item” was not reported when the plane arrived. If it had been, the situation could have been addressed overnight, avoiding inconvenience and serious connection problems caused by a late departure. Alas, it wasn’t.

That’s why, next morning, an out-sourced maintenance person had to be called from his home in south Fargo and told to drive to the airport, while already boarded passengers and plane waited. The fix? He simply attached a piece of masking tape over the broken seat and more time was wasted on what must have been needlessly complex “paperwork.” During a similar and equally frustrating 90 minute delay on our return from Vegas (November 24), I remarked to an NWA first officer on flight 778 that this “out-sourcing” doesn’t seem to be working. He replied, “we know.” But does Northwest management? How bad does it have to get?

The death of the New Frontier - 11/23/07

If you’re a Las Vegas fan and/or interested observer of its evolutionary progress over the decades, no doubt you’ve spent a few nights at the hotel/ casino they called “The New Frontier.” It operated continuously on the world famous Strip since October 30, 1942. But on the 13th of this month, November, 2007, it was demolished, having closed its doors for the last time at 12:00 midnight, Pacific time, July 16th of this year.

It was in the main showroom at the Frontier that Elvis Presley made his first Vegas appearance back in 1956. And this was the venue that hosted the final performance of Diana Ross and The Supremes on January 14, 1970. It’s where the magic and tiger act, Siegfried and Roy got their start and I saw that unbelievable show for the first time at the Frontier. I’m not big on magic shows but when these guys made an elephant disappear before my very eyes – and I could still smell the elephant – wow, they impressed me! The duo later moved to the Mirage, when Steve Wynn opened his first Strip mega-resort, and I was fortunate to have caught their show in that location a couple of times over the years.

The Frontier was also where I saw “Mr. Las Vegas” for the first time, and at only $15 a ticket. Armed with a younger, stronger voice,Wayne Newton was a Strip must-see attraction in those days (actually, in many ways, he still is today). We went to the 10:00 p.m. show back in the late 70s and we were still applauding encores well past midnight. His energy was remarkable and, at 65, he very much remains a hot ticket. In fact, if you check the web for Wayne Newton tickets Thanksgiving week at Harrah’s Las Vegas Event Center, you’ll find a good number of his performances were sold out! After all these years, that is indeed amazing. Way to go, Wayne, more power to you! I’ve always felt he gave those in his audiences more than full value for what they paid in admission.

What is also amazing is the frequency and methodology of imploding large hotel/casino buildings in Las Vegas. There’s quite a technique to doing this, as you might expect, without A) killing yourself or a member of your demolition crew and B) not busting up a building next door to your target. The man who does this so professionally and so well is Mark Loizeaux, 58, head of family founded, owned and operated Controlled Demolition, Inc., based in Phoenix. Mr. Loizeaux’s late father, Jack, started the business which has earned a reputation as the best demolition outfit in the world. If you’d like to know – in interesting detail – how this company razes a structure, checkout the interview with Mark Loizeaux done by Steve Friess on my favorite podcast, TheStripPodcast.com. Friess also wrote an article on the Loizeaux family and the demolition of the New Frontier for The New York Times. Search www.nytimes.com for the author’s name or use the keywords “Frontier demolition.”

In the podcast interview, Loizeaux mentions that, counting the Frontier, his company has taken down 18 buildings in Las Vegas, their most recent previous project being the implosion of the Stardust. Both of these classic LV venues bring back a lot of great memories for me, but now they’ve been cleared away to make way for a new era. Do the “new eras” ever stop in LV? I don’t think so; Vegas entrepreneurs really know how to cut bait if something doesn’t work anymore.

Loizeaux also comments, in Friess’s podcast piece, that, because of the way each hotel was constructed, the Stardust took about 700 pounds of explosives to bring it down, which was half the amount needed to tumble the Frontier. Details like that and other facts of particular interest to contractors, architects and just plain ol’ Las Vegas fans like me are all there in TheStripPodcast.com interview. Another great job, Steve! Like I said, he and Miles give me the one show delivered through the Internet to my computer – and then downloaded to my iPod – that I never miss.

RELIGIOUS LITERACY Read a fairly recent book entitled Religious Literacy – What Every American Needs to Know and Doesn’t by Stephen Prothero. He quotes a survey that tells us: •Only half of American adults can name even one of the four Gospels • Most Americans cannot name the first book of the Bible • Most Americans don’t know that Jonah is a book in the Bible • Only one-third know that Jesus (no, not Billy Graham) delivered the Sermon on the Mount • 10% of Americans believe that Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife. Until next week, thanks for reading the Extra!

Laughing stock - 11/16/07

When I visit with people living outside of North Dakota, I can always get a laugh when I tell them North Dakota is the only state in Walgreen’s 49-state system in which it’s against the law to have a prescription filled at one of their drug stores. This is one of those legislated issues that makes laughing stock of my native state.

It’s ridiculous our legislature hasn’t changed what is termed the “pharmacy ownership law,” now decades old and upheld by the United States Supreme Court. This antiquated legislation requires a “local” pharmacist own the majority interest in any pharmacy in the state. This effectively bars competition from national pharmacy companies (Osco Drug, now CVS in Fargo, was “grandfathered in” as an exception to the ownership restriction). It appears North Dakota can be brought into the 21st century only by action of an enlightened state legislature or by an initiated measure sponsored by the state’s voters. It shouldn’t come to the latter – but it may – if legislators don’t start acting in the public interest, rather than following the wishes of pharmacy industry lobbyists.

This law not only restricts competition in pharmacy services and products, it is yet another legislated barrier driving young people away, residents our governmental leaders give lip service to wanting to keep. Over 75% of the graduates of NDSU’s College of Pharmacy leave the state for their first job. I’ve talked with a number of these outstanding and well educated young people. What they tell me is because of North Dakota’s pharmacy ownership law, national pharmacies are not here to provide higher paying jobs to new pharmacists. Therefore, these newly minted grads head for any of the 49 other states which allow Walgreens, Wal-mart, Target and others to compete head-to-head in a free marketplace of pharmacy services and prescription drugs.

A number of owners of older pharmacies in communities large and small want to sell out so they can retire. A number of national pharmacies – or even local hospitals or clinics based in communities large and small – would like to purchase these small town operations at prices higher than in-state competitors are willing to pay. But out-of-state purchasers are barred from the transaction by North Dakota’s one-of-a-kind law. I can’t understand why our legislators – even from cities as large as Fargo – continually cast their votes to retain it.

You might ask, “how can Wal-mart have a pharmacy in Fargo?” Because the pharmacy at the Wal-mart store in our community is not owned by Wal-mart. It is owned and operated by North Dakota pharmacists and that’s why this pharmacy does not offer Wal-mart’s national discount program; you write a check to a payee other than Wal-mart when you purchase a prescription there. If Wal-mart can’t have their own pharmacy because they’re “protecting the safety” of the citizens of our state, then why would North Dakota pharmacists go into business with that company? Why isn’t Wal-mart – and other chains – allowed to hire their own professional pharmacists, as they do in Minnesota and across the country?

Ask your legislator where the public interest is being served by North Dakota’s unique pharmacy ownership law. If he or she is from Fargo and you’re told it’s in the interest of “saving small town pharmacies,” then ask A) how? and B) where is your legislator’s district located? In other words, where do his or her consumer constituents reside? If it’s in Fargo, that legislator ought to be voting in the interest of the public that elected them; rural areas have their own legislators who, by the way, usually fight Fargo and Grand Forks tooth and nail on issues that benefit cities trying to provide the entire state with economic gains.

Just as North Dakota finally did away with the requirement registered nurses must have a four year degree, while 49 other states welcomed these young people as RNs, North Dakota needs to stop driving away new NDSU pharmacy graduates and allow an open marketplace providing higher paying jobs for new pharmacists. That would certainly be a step in the right direction.

Because I’ve visited with over a dozen pharmacy seniors from NDSU who will be leaving the state upon graduation, even though they would rather stay, and because so many of my fellow North Dakotans are not aware of this laughable yet serious situation, I bring it up here. My hope is that the next legislature will do away with this joke fodder for out-of-staters, a big laugh at the expense of North Dakota’s consumers and our young pharmacy grads.

A sterling surprise! - 11/09/2007

They roasted me last week for the benefit of the Advertising Federation of Fargo-Moorhead’s scholarship fund set up in my name for mass communications students. I am deeply honored by this recognition. I was also honored and super surprised by who showed up to be master of ceremonies for my big night at the Fargo Holiday Inn: “Sterling” John Erling! Okay, you younger readers (if I have any “younger” readers) are probably thinking who’s John Erling and what’s the “sterling” all about? Something to do with the color of his hair and beard? Nope.

Most of you folks with a few miles on your chronological odometer will remember John as a popular WDAY Radio on-air personality back in the 60s and I’m guessing he may have still been in town during the very early 70s. John also did a regular stint as anchor of the Saturday night news on WDAY-TV. Am sure I’m clearing some cobwebs here for veteran Fargo broadcast hands and certainly for WDAY alumni and retirees of that vintage.

The credential John carries today is his outstanding and unequaled record as host of Tulsa, Oklahoma’s top rated morning show for 29 years: Erling in the Morning on station KRMG. He signed off that program and the station in 2005 and is now executive VP and managing director of the Tulsa office of the Ackerman McQueen advertising firm. Regarding the adjective I put in front of his name, let me explain that: John has what they call in the radio business a “great set of pipes,” i.e., a deep, mellifluous voice that my son, Dave, and daughter, Lori, who flew in to surprise me from Las Vegas and Tampa, respectively, noticed as they visited with him back stage prior to the start of the roast. And John’s on-air and in-person performances are still as smooth and as polished as sterling silver. I can accurately report he was in top form on stage here in Fargo.

Obviously, it was a real treat for me to see John and all of the other surprise guests. I’m grateful to Lee Massey, head of Media Productions, and Roger Reierson, president of Flint Communications, both of Fargo, for inviting John and organizing the wonderful show I was proud to be the focus of, even though John and other roasters knew how to turn up the heat at times. Whew! Is there one of my faults or habits they didn’t cover? Well, maybe I have a few more – but they were certainly thorough enough that night.

I was an advertising copywriter/producer at WDAY during the time when John was pioneering a new kind of program, a call-in show called Viewpoint, the predecessor to today’s Hot Talk with Scott Hennen. Hennen, by the way, has enough pull with Sean Hannity to have scored a roaring video comment directed at me from the national talk star himself. Although I’m, ah, shall we say, a “ways” to the left of Hannity, I was greatly impressed that he and Scott took time out of their busy schedules to send me verbal blasts. Thanks, Scott and Sean!

I recall during our time together at WDAY how John Erling and I did little radio skits during John’s afternoon program. I thought they were memorable pieces for the radio literati (or maybe illiterati?); John, however, didn’t seem to recall them last week, but I did. Those were fun times during our salad days.

Yes, it was great seeing “sterling” John Erling again, as well as all of the other roasters. I think John started his beard back during our WDAY time, however, I believe he may have more budget now to keep it professionally groomed. Sure looks that way – he appeared as sharp as ever on stage in the Great Hall. If they ever do a roast of John in Tulsa – and I suspect they may have already – I’d be happy to come down and give him a blast in return for his work on behalf of me – on a night in late October ‘07 that I’ll never, ever forget.

An American icon 11/02/07

Acouple of weeks ago I was fortunate to be in the audience as Tim Russert, moderator/host of NBC’s Meet the Press, addressed the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in Philadelphia, PA. With all the screaming about “bias” on cable news channels and at the major over-the-air tv networks, Russert remains an oasis of unbiased, factual journalism. His well earned track record in moderating the world’s longest running tv show has made him an American icon.

Russert began the Meet the Press portion of his career in 1991 and in his Philly talk he recounted one of his most memorable moments from that show. He reminded the audience that in May, 1992, there were three U.S. Presidential candidates: Bill Clinton, George Herbert Walker Bush, and H. Ross Perot. Russert started his interview with Perot this way: “Mr. Perot, you’ve identified the budget deficit as the most important problem confronting our nation. I’d like to ask you, as a candidate for the Presidency, what’s your solution?” Perot replied, ‘What?’ I repeated, ‘Mr. Perot, you’re running for President, you’ve identified the most important problem facing Americans, what is your solution?’ To that, Perot responded, ‘If I had known you were going to ask me these tricky questions, I wouldn’t have come on the program.’”

Moving to more serious and current matters, Russert indicated that all but 2 of the 17 people running for the Presidency have accepted his offer of one exclusive hour on Meet the Press. The holdouts (as of October 22) are Rudolf Giuliana and Mitt Romney. If these guys don’t eventually accept his offer, Russert will do a “virtual interview” with each of them, he said. This means he will spend an hour devoted to questions of each absent candidate. For answers, he will pull up past video and printed statements the candidate has made regarding the issues in question. The idea here is to help Americans better understand the candidates and their positions. I personally can’t understand how anyone running for the Presidency would avoid one-hour of exclusive time on Russert’s program. If a candidate can’t stand up to that kind of quality journalism, how much media scrutiny or questioning can they tolerate?

Born on May 7, 1950, in Buffalo, New York to Irish Catholic parents, Russert is an alum of Canisius High School in his home town and went on to graduate from John Carroll University and the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University. Before joining NBC News, Russert served as a counselor in New York Governor Mario Cuomo’s office in Albany in 1983 and 1984 and was chief of staff to Democratic Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan from 1977-1982. During his to talk to the PRSA, Russert referred several times to his recent best selling book about his dad, Big Russ and Me, in which he tells of being raised by strict parents in a working class neighborhood in south Buffalo. His latest book, based on over 60,000 letters and emails he says he received in response to the Big Russ book, is entitled Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons. It currently is also a bestseller.

Following his speech on that Monday morning, and before heading back to Washington, the Philadelphia Inquirer on Oct. 23rd reported Russert stopped by Gesu School, an independent inner-city school in North Philadelphia. He chatted with eighth grade students during an impromptu Q & A session and accepted the the Magis Spririt Award for his support of Gesu and other local Jesuit ministries, according to the Inquirer article.

In his speech, Russert said that, while he was a student at the Holy Family middle school in Buffalo, a nun encouraged him to start a school newspaper to help him burn up some of his “excessive energy.” This experience, he told us, sparked an interest in journalism that has lasted a lifetime, leading him to the job he loves. Bottom line: teachers at all levels can and do make a huge difference in the lives of their charges. Unfortunately, they may not realize – until years later or maybe never – what their influence has meant to certain individuals.

June Carter Cash - 10/19/2007

There’s a new book about June Carter Cash written by the only child she and Johnny Cash had together: John Carter Cash. It’s called Anchored in Love, An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash, with a foreword by actor Robert Duvall, published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 2007. I recently discovered this interesting and emotional treatment of one of America’s legendary country stars on the new book display at the south branch of the Fargo Public Library. If you’re a fan of Cash music, as I am, and as a whole new legion of Cash appreciators have become since the 2005 movie Walk the Line, you’ll like this book.

John, Jr., who is now 37, has produced an easy to read memoir of his mother’s amazing life and career. She passed away on May 15, 2003, in Nashville, Tennessee, of complications following heart valve replacement surgery. The author reports Cash and Carter family details I haven’t come across before, including some rather complex genealogy, descriptions of family reunions and tidbits from other get togethers of the clan. The history of the start-up of The Carter Family, the pioneering musical group, is indeed candid and revealing. There is also a companion CD available that has the same title as the book, sold separately. I’ve auditioned parts of a number of selections from the CD at www.Amazon.com and the album sounds reminiscent of typical Carter family fare, a mixture of bluegrass and gospel. The book and CD, together, might be an appreciated gift for any relatively serious Cash/Carter or bluegrass music fan.

NEED FREE GRAPH, MUSIC OR STORYBOARD PAPER? Discovered a website that allows you to print out as much of this type of paper as you need – free. You’ll find it at www.pdfpad.com. In addition to several types of graph paper, music composing and arranging paper, as well as tv and movie storyboard paper, you’ll find customizable calendars and much more. These are all built on the popular Adobe PDF format so you’ll need the latest version of Adobe’s PDF reader, available free at Adobe.com.

SIGN SEEN IN SENDAI, JAPAN AIRPORT: “For restrooms, go back toward your behind.” Mmm – nothing there about what your “stance” should be.

“TRYING TO ARGUE with him was like trying to eat tomato soup with a fork.” Now there’s a metaphor I can apply to somebody sometime, maybe you can too. It’s from a book entitled Venus by Patrick Moore (about the planet, not the Mars/Venus male/female thing). I learned the Earth’s “orbital velocity” is 18.5 miles per second or, get this, 66,500 miles per hour! That’s fast. But Venus is going around the Sun even faster: 21.5 miles per second or 78,300 miles per hour. Imagine: the chair I’m sitting on while typing this is actually moving at over 66,000 m.p.h. without burning any fuel. Amazing.

DEFINITION OF DEADLINE: A deadline is a time by which a certain job has to be finished. The original “deadline” was a line or boundary marked out around a fence at a prisoner of war camp in the American Civil War. Any prisoner who tried to cross the line risked being shot by a guard. This does resemble the situation I face each week as an FM Extra columnist.

ANOTHER DEFINITION – MATURITY: “Maturity is the ability to stick with a job until it’s finished; the ability to do a job without being supervised; the ability to carry money without spending it; and the ability to hear of an injustice without wanting to get even.” That from Abigail Van Buren.

GOOD ADVICE: “Fear less, hope more. Eat less, chew more. Whine less, breathe more. Hate less, love more. Follow these rules and all good things will be yours.” An Old Swedish proverb that’s good for more than Swedes.

ON TEACHING: The mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. – William Ward

A bee movie - 10/12/2007

Jerry Seinfeld is back. Besides returning to the standup comedy circuit, he’s made a movie about bees. It’s an animated film Seinfeld is coproducing with Steven Spielberg, his friend and next door neighbor in the Hamptons, New York City’s upscale suburb. It has a very simple and descriptive title: Bee Movie. The plot is about the interactions between a bumble bee named Barry, voiced by Seinfeld, and a human florist, voiced by Academy Award winner Renée Zellweger. It’s supposed to be released in November and it’s one cartoon-type movie I definitely want to see.

While I’m buzzing about bees, I just read some interesting facts on those little yellow flying insects:

• Bees per hive: up to 60,000
• Bee hours for 1 lb. of clover honey: 7,000+
• U.S. honey yield, 2006: 155 million lbs.
• U.S. diet tied to honeybee services: 33%
• U.S. beekeepers reporting colony collapse disorder: nearly 25%
• Value of pollination: $14.6 billion a year

The above stats are from an article in the National Geographic magazine entitled “Colonies in Crisis” (current issue, October, 2007).

WINNERS VS. LOSERS: A winner knows how much he still has to learn even when he is considered an expert by others. A loser wants to be considered an expert by others before he has learned enough to know how little he knows. That from the late Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times nationally syndicated columnist, Sydney J. Harris (1917-1986).

SENIOR LIFE IN FLORIDA: A little old lady was sitting on a park bench in The Villages, a Florida adult community. A man walked over and sits down on the other end of the bench. After a few moments, the woman asks, “Are you a stranger here?” He replies, “I lived here years ago.” ”So, where were you all these years?” ”In prison,” he says. ”Why did they put you in prison?” He looked at her, and very quietly said, “I killed my wife.” ”Oh!” said the woman. “So you’re single...”

THE PRICE OF GREATNESS: “We achieve to the degree that we overcome the negative. Achievers are willing to pay the price of achievement. They sacrifice, struggle, work on, perhaps alone, weary, and discouraged, and yet at each step overcome the negative. Overcoming the negative is the price of achievement, the price of greatness.” From Best of Success, a Treasury of Success Ideas, compiled by Wynn Davis, www.successories.com.

THINK POSITIVE IN THE MORNING: “Your morning thoughts may determine your conduct for the day. Optimistic thoughts will make your day bright and productive, while pessimistic thinking will make it dull and wasteful. Face each day cheerfully, smilingly and courageously, and it will naturally follow that your work will be a real pleasure and progress will be a delightful accomplishment.” That from William M. Peck, author, scientist, businessman.

I’LL LEAVE YOU THIS WEEK with a thought from an anonymous source, one that gives me pause to remember to live today, in the now: “First I was dying to finish high school and start college. And then I was dying to finish college and start working. And then I was dying to marry and have children. And then I was dying for my children to grow old enough for school so I could return to work. And then I was dying to retire. And now, I am dying, and suddenly realized I forgot to live.”

Silicon Snake Oil - 10/05/2007

About a dozen years ago, I met Clifford Stoll, the Berkeley, California, astronomer and early computer guru, at a Border’s bookstore in Chicago. He was giving a lecture on his most recent bestseller at that time, a nonfiction work called Silicon Snake Oil, published by Bantam Doubleday. Actually, “lecture” doesn’t accurately describe a Stoll talk. He moves about hyper-energetically, giving a new definition of “talking with your hands.” He even jumps on tables. Snake Oil, as well as Stoll’s 1989 bestseller, The Cuckoo’s Egg, are both still in print. You may find previously owned copies at Fargo’s largest used bookstore, B.D.S. Books, or you might look for these two volumes in the Fargo Public Library. Searching the library is a bit of a challenge these days, what with all the construction going on.

The reason I bring up Silicon Snake Oil is because I’ve read some things lately diminishing the importance of books. This is not good. Not good for young people and not good for a number of adults I know who read virtually nothing – except web published political viewpoints they agree with or they gorge themselves on the junk calories of listening to or watching their favorite pundit reinforcing what they already “know” as “the truth!”

Even In this digital age, buying books is not a “waste of money” as a misinformed columnist (not in this publication, of course) recently asserted. Books are still – and forever will be – an important, if not critical, part of the world’s informational and entertainment fabric. Granted, there may be an eventual mov