BIZ BITZ
Sanford Media Release:
Sanford Health physicians are using the world’s smallest microscope during endoscopies to view internal tissues at the cellular level in real time. Studies have shown that having this cell-by-cell view of the lining of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and lungs can lead to improved detection and faster treatment of abnormalities, such as cancer, in those areas.
Sanford is the first in the region and is one of about 50 centers in the United States using the Cellvizio confocal probe, a new advanced imaging procedure approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in the GI tract and lungs. The technology is part of the GI and pulmonary programs at Sanford. A procedure done last week was the inaugural use of Cellvizio at Sanford.
Information found on the Moorhead city website:
Minnesota State Law – chapter 156 of the Session Laws of 2006, MN Statute 471.701 – requires that “a city or county with a population of more than 15,000 must annually notify its residents of the positions and base salaries of its three highest-paid employees.” For the City of Moorhead, titles and salaries as of July 1, 2011 are: City Manager – $116,575; City Engineer – $110,435; Chief of Police – $104,200. Date of publication: September 14, 2012.
Mutual Musings
Each and every week I receive dozens of emails from folks asking questions, giving me their opinions on something I wrote the week before—or even longer ago than that. The wide variety of opinions is what I love the most. It doesn’t matter what the subject is. What is disturbing sometimes are those who refuse to consider, even for a moment, or no matter what the actual facts are surrounding the issue, there are those who simply cannot be persuaded –logic or facts be damned.
More and more I’m convinced people only evaluate one side of an argument before they make up their minds. And no, it isn’t only about political issues. Recently I was asked “Do you really believe two people can live with one another indefinitely and remain happy?” Well, uh, yes, I guess I do believe that’s very possible. Especially since I’ve been married to the same person for 34 years and 9 months! My question is why would anyone spend years and years with a person who can’t or doesn’t share in making life better? Now that makes no sense to me whatsoever. The second part of that question was: “How long should a person wait to see if things turn around?”
I’m not a psychologist, psychiatrist, minister or counselor. So by no means is this a ‘clinical’ answer. But it seems to me if you’ve been married or just living with a person for two or three years and there’s been more arguments, hurt feelings, nasty things said or misery in general than fun, great sex and laughter, personally my opinion would be it’s probably time to MOVE ON. But then, I’m not a believer in lost causes or impossible happy endings. If after a person promises to change or stop some behavior you can’t live with or that makes you miserable and is a major reason for distrust and it’s a two or three years down the road, odds are only one person is changing—YOU.
Someone asked me a few weeks ago if I would ever leave the United States because a candidate I hated was elected to be the President. My answer is an unequivocal “No! Of course not.” Why should I be forced out of the place I love because some bozo has a new title and an oval office? Besides, the President certainly has a lot of power, but keep in mind—there are a whole lot of people the President has to bring to his/her side before he/she can make any major changes. Nothing happens inside the beltway with the simple wave of a wand.
Another question I am asked often is, “What topic elicits the most email?” Usually it’s a hot local issue. The one that by far outranks all others in the past ten years has to be my open letter to NDSU Athletic Director Gene Taylor. I got over 90 responses on that column. There were a few who felt I was being “unfair” and even “unrealistic” to think NDSU would sacrifice their star players for anything short of murder unless forced to. And in this case, petition signatures for placing medical marijuana on the election ballot in North Dakota was totally “ridiculous” anyway—so why was I so “outraged?” Another asked why I even care, since I live in Minnesota, not North Dakota. On the flip side of that issue, the other 75 plus email responses I got were in agreement with what I wrote. Needless to say, especially given the demographic that picks up and reads The Extra, many were not in agreement with my column not because they agreed or wanted medical marijuana, but because they understood it was the prevailing attitude that it did not matter if laws were broken and the entire referendum was obliterated due to the “couldn’t care less” snub toward our election process – a process that has worked pretty well for the past 236 years and one the majority of voters take pretty seriously most of the time. As they should, and hopefully will continue to do.
I‘ve got another question for all the North Dakotans who stand behind the non-smoking law passed that includes the entire state beginning December 6. Now that Fargo Cass Public Health Safe Communities Coordinator Robyn Litke has succeeded with her goal to make sure every smoker in North Dakota feels the squeeze, when is she going to turn her considerable forces toward a healthier and much safer F/M on the abuses of alcohol, and in particular driving under the influence or while drunk? I‘ll bet 100 to 1 that even smoke haters would rather know the streets and highways they travel on have far fewer drunk drivers who may kill them at any time than worry about running into a bar with smokers. If Ms. Litke wants to help the people of North Dakota stay healthy, maybe next she can help them stay alive instead!
Got a question or a comment? Email Soo at sooasheim@aol.com.