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