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April 1, 2010 Page 3
Nice guys don't always finish last
To the editor:
I recently encountered coach
Bob Waldal unwinding from a suc-
cessful but arduous and stressful
season guiding the Beach girls bas-
ketball team to the state champi-
onship.
Anyone who knows Bob knows
he's the soul of modesty, which is,
or should be, the first mark of any-
one who excels at what they do. I
congratulated Bob for winning the
state title, which he graciously
accepted, but when I went on to
compliment him for his role, he
demurred and said unequivocally it
was the determination, skill and tal-
ent of the girls that carried the day.
Taking another tack did not work
either. When I implied that the atti-
tude, decorum and courtesy exhibit-
ed by the girls was attributable to
him and assistant coaches Gary
Hardy and Kari Bossennan, he was
emphatic in giving all the credit to
the parents.
Granting that the process begins
in the home, the fact is that as coach
his influence on impressionable
young minds is undeniable. Bob's
demeanor and aura of proper behav-
ior have undoubtedly been trans-
ferred to the team. Not only has this
probably contributed to their suc-
cess on the basketball court, but
more importantly it's a factor in
preparing them for the biggest game
of all - the game of life.
We've all heard the cynical
expression "nice guys finish last."
Not all the time and definitely not
this time.
Congratulations to all the mem-
bers of the team, and let's not forget
the nice people standing at the back
of the team picture.
Dick Kukowski
Beach
Some helpful information
My weekly column is going to
be quite different this week. I usual-
ly try to write an upbeat column.
Give you something to smile about
as you go out to feed cows, drive
truck, wait on tables, or get the kids
ready tbr school.
But today, I am going to give you
a little information that, I hope, may
someday help you.
This week I received a letter
fiom Mutual of Omaha attempting
to sell me cancer insurance. Now,
I've recently lost friends to cancer. I
don't know, but I sincerely hope
they had adequate insurance.
I also sincerely hope, that if they
had insurance, it was not with
Mutual of Omaha.
My mother has nursing home
insurance with Mutual of Omaha.
Morn is in her mid eighties. She
and Dad came down last summer
tbr my sixtieth birthday. They came
down to have a beer and supper
with us. There are not a lot of peo-
ple whose parents can help cele-
brate their sixtieth birthday. I'm
lucky.
A few weeks after that, Morn had
to enter a home in Minot. That was
in the end of August. One thing that
was a relief So her, and I might add,
to Dad, was that she had paid into a
nursing home policy from Mutual
of Omaha for years. A lot of years.
I guess maybe I was brought up
different. Maybe it is just a cowboy
thing. But there are sayings like
"You ride for the brand". Or "If you
take a man's wages, you give him a
day's work". Or, "You get what you
pay for". Sometimes that is.
Since Mom went in the home,
Hat Tips
By Dean Meyer
I was in the legis-
lature. Morn was in
the legislature. My
wife is in the legis-
lature. My niece is a
states attorney. So
you understand
that we know a little
bit, about what
works and what
doesn't.
we have learned a lot. You don't'
always get what you pay for. At
least when it comes to nursing
home insurance.
You can go to ahnost any coffee
shop in the morning, and start up a
conversation about nursing home
insurance. You can go to "happy
hour" at the bar and strike up a con-
versation about nursing home insur-
ance. You can walk down the hall at
the nursing home, or sit in on break-
fast and find disillusioned cus-
tomers.
I don't know if the new health
care bill fixes this. I hope so.
I know a ldt bf'peopl6 need
something fixed. I know there are
families that don't have the "'con-
nections" that we do. I was in the
legislature. Mom was in the legisla-
ture. My wife is in the legislature.
My 'niece is a states attorney. So you
understand that we know a little bit
about what works and what doesn't.
We have worked through the insur-
ance commissioner. Through the
agent that sold the rest rance. We ve
called and written and protested.
Still nothing. After seven
months.
And now Mutual of Omaha will
sell me cancer insurance, even if
I've had cancer!
And the headline reads...
"APPLY NOW! And this time next
month, you can breathe a little easi-
er."
Yeah, right.
I want to make sure this doesn't
happen to you. Here are three things
you should find out if you have long
term care insurance.
Find out if it covers assisted liv-
ing. Many old policies were pur-
chased befbre this came into being.
Find out if you must spend nine-
ty consecutive days before coverage
begins.
Find out what the criteria is on
"denlentia".
Mutual of Omaha thinks assisted
living is like choosing to go to the
spa.
It'll make me rest easier to know
that we are doing some good with
this.
Man I'mglad I got that off my
mind!
And next week, :I,'ll tell. you
. r
• .about the largest sisal t,wine hall in
the world! And I bet you enjoy that
more !
Later, Dean
Calving Time - so far, so good
The calving season this year is
far better than last yeaPs misery.
Perhaps a regretful reminder is in
order.
A year ago, the Dickinson
Research Extension Center started
calving with very mixed results.
The season started with a dead calf
and went downhill from there. The
second heifer was a calf abuser and
was taken away. Out of the first 26
heifers that calved last year, difficult
pulls, cesarean sections and numer-
ous general assists were the norm.
There were three dead calves but
the rest survived.
The four heifers that had natural,
but difficult assistauce when giving
birth, had calves that averaged 98
pounds at birth. Of the 21 heifers
that had no birthing problems last
year, their calves averaged 82
pounds at birth.
Memories are not always golden
and, in fact, easily could be left to
someone else. However, it is impor-
tant to write down the bad and the
good. With this year's calving sea-
son well under way, the initial
reports are coming with smiles
because there have been no real
problems. In fact, at last count, the
center has 35 mommas and 36
happy, bouncing babies.
Of the initial 35 heifers that
calved, the average birth weight of
the calves was 73.2 pounds. There
were two light birthing assists and
one heifer had a calf with a front leg
back that required some delivery
assistance.
Compared with last year, the
calving results are night and day
different. And the lesson is very real
as we continue to learn from what
we do, along with all the other les-
sons in life.
Last year's calves were all sired
by a bull that is listed in the top 15
percent of the Angus breed expect-
ed progeny difference (EPD) for
calving ease (EPD 9) and has a birth
weight EPD of 2. The birth weight
EPD was just above average for the
Angus breed and the bull also is a
high- growth bull. The bull is in the
upper 20 percent of the breed for
weaning weight (EPD 51) and
upper 20 percent of the breed for
Beef Talk
By Kris Ringwall
Compared with
last year, the calv-
ing results are
night and day dif-
ferent. And the les-
son is very real as
we continue to
learn from what we
do, along with all
the other lessons
in life.
yearling weight (EPD 95).
The artificially inseminated (AI)
calves this year are sired by a bull
that is listed in the top 3 percent of
the Angus breed for calving ease
(EPD 12) and has a birth weight
EPD of minus 2.2. The birth weight
EPD ranks the bull in the top 2 per-
cent of Angus bulls for birth weight.
Interestingly, this bull also is a
good-growth bull because it is in the
upper 15 percent of the breed for
weaning weight (EPD 54) and
upper 25 percent of the breed for
yearling weight (EPD 92).
In addition, those calves not
sired by the AI Angus sire were
sired by Red Angus bulls with an
average birth weight EPD of minus
3.4 and an average calving ease
EPD of just less than 13.
Not all producers are sold on the
ability to manipulate cattle based on
EPD numbers. Some would rather
lowball the actual birth weight and
select a smaller-framed heifer bull.
However, it is interesting to look
back to review the results based on
the printed values of the bulls, par-
ticularly higher accuracy bulls such
as those available through artificial
insemination companies.
Granted. we do not have the
same heifers from one year to the
next. However, by pushing the calv-
ing ease EPD up from 9 to 12 and
the birth .weight EPD down from 2
to minus 2.2, the difference makes
for a much happier calving crew.
Also, later growth has not been
sacrificed and the calves will do
well. In closing, the same process
could be utilized for any of the
breeds. The secret is to encourage
producers to look for solutions. The
solutions are out there in the form of
good bulls that also have good data.
What is even more interesting is
the hidden problems when a pro-
ducer pushes birth weight.
The center has not seen any of
the long list of problems in the
heifers this year compared with last
year. Last year, we had weak calves
and cows, poor mothering, ornery
cows and ornery help. You name it,
the center had it.
The bottom line is that a calf
born naturally without the need for
interference starts life so much bet-
ter and that is good.
May you find all your ear tags.
(Kris Ringwall is the director of
the Dickinson Research Extension
Center and is a be!f specialist with
the North Dakota State University
Extension Service.)
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Be sure that you're counted
To the editor:
This month, every household
across North Dakota and the nation
will receive a census form.
Required once every I 0 years by the
U.S. Constitution, the 2010 Census
will count every man, woman and
child living in the United States.
Participation in the census is
required by law, and just as impor-
tant, an accurate count helps ensure
our communities and state receive
our appropriate share of federal
funding and access to important
services and resources. Such fund-
ing for roads, bridges, services for
seniors, and other programs is vital
to the future of North Dakota. In
addition, businesses and local gov-
ernments often use the population
data to determine where to invest
and build hospitals, shopping malls,
housing developments, and other
infrastructure. Every year the feder-
al government distributes more than
$400 billion to tribal, state and local
governments based on census data•
Census data also are used to reap-
portion seats in Congress and assure
proper district representation in state
and local governments. An accurate
count will help ensure the people in
North Dakota are fairly represented
in all levels of government.
During Census 2000, 72 percent
of households in North Dakota
returned their census forms by mail.
I believe we can do even better in
2010. That's why today, I am chal-
lenging every North Dakotan to
take 10 minutes to participate in th4
census by answering the 10:ques-
tion census form. Nationally, every
1 percent of the population that does
not return their census form will
cost the federal government $90
million in follow-up costs. Please
do your part to help get an accurate
count at the lowest cost; mail your
census form back today.
Rod Backman, Chairman
N.D. Complete Count
Committee
Bismarck
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