By Soo Asheim
If you are from North Dakota or attended UND, more than likely you are
presently mourning the final death knoll to the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo.
If you are not from North Dakota, or never attended UND and share
no warm and fuzzy feelings about the nickname, you may be celebrating that
this protracted battle that is finally over!
Change is never easy. That I can attest to with complete certainty. And it
would seem, the older I age, the less agreeable I am to change. Not all
changes. Just some changes. Mostly the types of changes made for the
benefit of only one person. Or, when a system is working perfectly fine and
someone feels, for whatever reason, something should be attempted. You
know, change for the sake of change. I’ve found those types of
changes are to benefit someone’s ego or an excessive need of having
control. These types of changes usually cause more headaches than
necessary and waste too much time. For instance? Re-naming Moorhead State University to
Minnesota State University Moorhead. What was the point of that? It’s still
a state college located in Moorhead. Perhaps someone with a much higher
degree than I hold felt identifying the state first and the location last
gave the school a more dignified and sophisticated sounding name. The one I really
love is changing the name from North Dakota State School of Science to
North Dakota State College of Science. Seriously? If they really wanted to
upgrade the name, why not at least call it the North Dakota State College
of Technology?
Nonetheless, not all change is bad. Sometimes it opens doors for fresh starts. So let’s all hope that is what dropping what will come for the old, albeit beloved, Fighting Sioux moniker.
HOLY HAGAR! IT’S A VIKING FEAST!
That is what the F/M (AM) Rotary is planning for all who join their second
annual Lobster and Lefse Festival to be held at the Fargodome today through Sunday. Beneficiaries of this year’s event include the YWCA and The Rape and Abuse Crisis Center. Today the event food will be served from 4 to 8 p.m. The following days of Friday and Saturday hours are from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.
If you are a fan of fresh North Dakota hand-tossed lefse, roasted corn on
the cob and Maine lobster, this is the place to be! If you prefer shrimp, no problem. For children who prefer simpler foods, there is also a non-seafood menu available. Admission is $3 bucks for adults and all children 12 years and under are 12 are admitted free for the entertainment. Food is at an additional cost.
CONGRESSIONAL RE-EVALUATION
All week long I have been getting emails asking questions about our
Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C., questions such as: Why do
They continue to be paid $174,000 if the country is broke? Corporations and companies all over have downsized and are cutting pension benefits, insurance benefits and even salaries for certain jobs.
Congressional salaries?
Why are we continuing to foot the bills on Presidential Libraries that
have staff and security personnel attachments?
Every person alive and working would love to have the healthcare benefits
Congress is presently afforded, courtesy of the American taxpayers.
Unfortunately, the majority of the middle-class folks, now being taxed so
that their Senator or House of Representative member can have exemplary healthcare, can barely afford their own healthcare benefits! If I was making
$174,000 a year, I really don’t believe I’d have the moxie to expect anyone else
to pay for my healthcare.
The men and women we elect to Congress should be able to afford their own
exercise gyms and tanning booths, just like the rest of America,
shouldn’t they? So why are we continuing to pay for these perks?
Yes, it’s definitely time we re-evaluated what our leaders expect and
What we need to give them. If they feel they cannot do without, or are entitled to high salaries, pension benefits, healthcare benefits, special retreats to “contemplate,” fine. But get if funded from one of
the wealthier people who put you into office in the first place. Consider the public trough closed.
Once you have closed the loopholes and are willing to tax those who only
pay taxes on Capital Gains earnings (roughly about 17 percent) maybe we
can revisit the issue of “political perks.”
Until then, welcome to the world of working class America!
For questions or comments to Soo, email: _asheimrote@aol.com_
(mailto:asheimrote@aol.com) or call (701) 799-0992.
o:asheimrote@aol.com