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November 1, 2007 Page
In May, Secretary of State AI
Jaeger set February 5 as presidential
caucus day for both political parties
in North Dakota. States have been
leap-frogging their primaries for-
ward so rapidly since the announce-
ment that AI may have to reconsid-
er his decision and choose a day in
November.
The law requires that the
Secretary of State consult with
party representatives before making
his decision.
Even though they disagreed on
the date, both party representatives
argued for making North Dakota
relevant to the primary-caucus sys-
tem. That will be difficult with the
likes of California, Texas and
Pennsylvania holding primaries on
that very same day.
To me, it doesn't make any dif-
ference. I am not going to partici-
pate. And I am not taking a winter
vacation to avoid facing up to a
decision on the issue. I intend to
conduct a 1-person boycott of the
whole business as a protest over the
candidates and the issues.
While the Iraq war trumps all
other concerns, the candidates on
both sides of the aisle are focusing
on domestic issues as though the
world crisis didn't exist.
We are so over-extended around
the world that lesser countries are
starting to insult us with impunity.
Iran is brazen; Russia's Putin is
insolent; the Kurds are unruly, and
England is deserting us in the
MideasL Terrorists are everywhere.
All other issues pale in comparison.
Under these circumstances, one
would think ,intelligent party leaders
would insist on candidates that
could master this spreading interna-
tional chaos.
For sure, the turmoil will certain-
ly continue into the administrations
of two or three presidents.
Unfortunately, candidates with
international credentials are not get-
ting the time of day in either party.
In the Democratic Party, the only
two candidates with any interna-
tional savvy are Senator Joe Biden,
chairperson and longtime member
of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, and Governor Bill
Richardson of New Mexico, peace
broker in the Balkans and other hot
spots. They both have been beating
the drums but nobody is dancing.
The candidates running for the
Republican nomination are also
While the Iraq war
trumps all other
concerns, the Can-
didates on both
sides of the aisle
are focusing on
domestic issues as
though the world
crisis didn't exist.
wearing blinders. Thus far, they
have spent more time insulting each
other than acknowledging the need
for competence in foreign affairs.
In fact, the two most qualified
Republicans - Senator Richard
Luger, another longtime member of
the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, and former Senator and
Secretary of Defense William
Cohen - are standing on the side-
lines.
A pragmatic political adviser
would suggest that boycotting is not
a practical response to this dilemma
but would probably say: "We have
always been forced to choose the
lesser of evils so go to the caucuses,
support the fastest learner, and hope
that the world doesn't fall apart
before the lessons are complete."
Well, that may be practical
advice but I feel uneasy about pro-
moting folks who need extensive
training before they are qualified to
handle a job, especially a job that
involves negotiating with belliger-
ent people with nuclear weapons.
Learning on the job is okay for a
plumber but not for peacekeeper of
the world.
My 1-person boycott in a state
that has only a whisper in the out-
come may not be very meaningful
in the big picture but at least I will
be able to say "I told you so" as we
dig ourselves out ot the rubble that
used to be earth.
(Omdahl is a former state budg-
et director and state tax commis-
Hanging out
This young football fan made the long trip to cheer on the
Bucs in Harvey last Saturday afternoon.
Relatives requesting inform
To the editor: If mayone has any information
Prairie West Development recent- about Pvt. Muggli and would like to
ly received a request for information contact the requesting pm~y, please
to locate relatives of Pvt. Roger J. contact Prairie West Development at
Muggli, KIA in WWlI. Pvt. Muggli (701) 872-3121 for the name and
entered the military in Beach. The "addless.
person requesting the information Sincerely,
was a friend of Pvt. Muggli while the Deb Walworth
family lived in Richardton, N.D. Executive Director
Touring Fort McMurray
Hello,
When Shirley and I were in
Canada we had a chance to tour
the "oil sands" of Fort McMurray.
Now, Fort McMurray is not a
place you would want to spend a
lot of time in. It is a city that
exploded from a hunting, trap-
ping, and fishing village of a thou-
sand people, to a booming mining-
city of 75,000 people, with anoth-
er 20,000 workers living in com-
pany camps, They are a city that is
struggling to keep up with their
infrastructure of schools, hospi-
tals, roads, and housing. The min-
ing of the oil sands pays a high
wage. And it takes a high wage to
live. The average cost of a small,
two-bedroom house (twelve hun-
dred square feet) isover
$600,000 !
The oil is mined pretty much
the same as North Dakota's lignite
coal. Draglines, scrapers, huge
trucks (three stories high), con-
veyors, and slurry lines. But the
footprint is immense. The mines
go for miles and miles.
Reclamation, although progress-
ing is far behind.
One of the first things you
notice when flying into the project
is the sulphur. This is a by-product
of the mining process. They melt
it, pour it into huge blocks, and
stack it like a farmer stacks bales.
If he has lots of bales. It looks like
they are going to build pyramids
overlooking Canada.
That got me to recalling.
Now, I used to smoke. Haven't
for years. But when I was a cool,
young Marlboro Man I was a
smoker. You've watched those
cowboy shows on TV. Where the
cool guy just reaches down and
strikes a match on his leg. Clint
Eastwood. Then light that little
cigar. Think Pali Mall. I was cool-
er than that.
Grandpa Herb and I were driving
to the river with a pickup load of
feed to cake cows. On the way to the
river we had to go around a curve
around this steep butte. The trail was
carved into the side of the butte. It
was called "Suicide"! Anyway, I
was a cool Pall Mall smoker. One
morning, just as we started around
"suicide" I went to light a cigarette.
But being cool, I just flicked that big
old farmer match off my teeth.
Well, what makes a match light
is that chunk of sulphur on the end
of that stick: And when I struck
Now, I used to
smoke. Haven't for
years. But when I
was a cool, young
Marlboro Man I was
a smoker.
that match, I used a little too much
force. And that burning sulphur
broke off and fell down behind my
lip. Like a good chew of
Norwegian snooze.
I let out a scream and was try-
ing to put out that fire, hold the
pickup on the road, and swear all
at the same time!!! When I got the
pickup stopped we were hanging
over the edge of Suicide. That
piece of sulphur had melted into
my lip and even the dogs were
wanting out of the pickup!
Grandpa, who never got too
excited about anything, just
looked up and said, "Let's smoke
when we get past this curve."
Man, you don't know how
many matches I broke trying to
light the darn things on my leg
after that.
Anyway, back at the oil sands.
It is the second largest oil deposit
in the world. Behind only Saudi
Arabia. It is an expensive, labor-
intensive project. Lots of people
and lots of machinery. It is costing
over twenty dollars a barrel to
produce the bitumen that is then
further processed into synthetic
crude to ship to us. Bitumen is
valued at about sixty per cent of
oil. So, at eighty or ninety dollar
oil, it looks like they are going to
be mining oil for quite a while.
It was a great trip. I learned a
lot. And I don't learn stuff real
easy anymore. If I remember, I'm
going to take you into the hold
'em game in Edmonton next
week. And maybe swing out to
Shane Franklin's ranch at
Bonnyville and look at some
bucking horses !
Later, Dean
sioner.)
Sen!or Citizens O]
e ve n t s o0 october 14, 2007, Medtronic announced a defect in the electrical "lead" wire i! :;i:!!!'#!~!!ili!!!!!'!~ri!~!fi!!~:!!::!!:!:!ii~!~!~! : ';ii~!::!: ;!!!:'~i~!::~::ii!:'!!~;!izT!i!!!~!i:T!~;!:'!!~i!~,:!;::,'!!!!!ii: "
f Senior Citizens 12:30 p.m. of its heart defibrillator and recalled the product, Affected models of the Sprint 281 E MaIN - BEaclt ND 701-872-436
HEART IMPLANT LEAD DEFECTS
- Nov. 21, health screening, 9 - 12,
1 - 2:30 p.m business meeting - 1
Activity Club announces the follow-
ing schedule of events for November:
p.m.
- Nov. 26, birthday party, bingo,
pool, 1 - 3 p.m.
- Nov. 4, Thanksgiving Dinner -
12:30 p.m.
- Nov. 18, potluck. A - L serving.
Fidelis defibrillator leads are 6930, 6931, 6948 and 6949. A fracture in the lead
wire can lead to unnecessary, painful shocks to patients and may require re-
placement surgery. At least five deaths have been reported in patients with the
defective leads. Shasteen & Scholz, PC is representing patients (on a contin-
gency fee basis) who have undergone replacement surgery or have been advised
by a physician their lead wire may be defective. For more information and a free
confidential consultation regarding your legal rights and remedies, please call:
1-800-342-4325, ext. 3-2347
Bev Wolff, Jess Braden, Steve
Pull Black
Tabs
Baertsch, Nancy aoodale Jack
Live Friday & Saturday
Hours: Mon-Fri. 3pm-lam Sat. lpm-lam
Happy Hour: Mon.-Thurs. 5:30-6:30pm
Home Post of State Commander Harvey Peterson
North Dakota
State College of Science
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