I
PAGE 4 PRESS PERSPECTIVES JANUARY 9, 2013
FROM THE
EDITOR'S DESK
BY ALLISON OLIA4B
EDITOR, WALSH COUNTY PRESS
The year 2013 came in not with
a bang but with the whimper of a
mother who had experienced sheer
desperation.
After celebrating the New Year
with a baby play date in Grand
Forks (Gary and his buddy Axel,
who was born close to the same
time, rang ill the New Year or at least
the 10 p.m. by playing and jabber-
ing most of the evening), their par-
ents celebrated well into the night.
The next morning we (mostly
me) wanted to run into town after
breakfast and run a couple nonessen-
tial errands and use up some gift
cmds that were burning a hole in my
purse. So, we went down the road.
Just a handful of miles from the fun
times we had at Axel's house and
feel a sharp edge on nay tooth. It had
cracked.
It wasn't really an emergency
since it was a wisdom tooth need-
ed to go that I had been putting off
for far too long, but man, it just was-
n't something I wanted to deal with
on the first day of the year.
So then we pulled into the Tar-
get parking lot and proceeded to
spend the next hour or so just be-
bopping around the store. I had no
particular goal, but I had never had
that much trouble spending money
in Target before. Then we checked
out.
As we were leaving I noticed
there was an item hiding under the
baby's stuffthat didn't get rung up. Ivan back to the store. Frank had
Frank handed me the car keys and Iris phone, so he started making calls.
ran back in to pay. Then a woman pulled up and said
Now, it was cold. I am talking she had done that before and to call
freeze your nose hairs cold. So, first 91 I.
things first 1 put the baby in and The answer we got from 911 was
started the car. that they don't do that anymore, but
In addition to the thbulous events the lady gave us the number of a
of the day, a can of soda that never service station that could.
made it in the house had managed It seemed like the Cenex guy
to explode. There was nothing left took longer than forever to get
of the can but shrapnel and the soda there.
was all over the back window, so It was $55 later and I got my
while we were waiting for Frank I baby back without smashed win-
had the bright idea to get out of the dows and only a little crying (for
car to go to the back and clean up
some of the frozen chunks, me more so than for him). But that
was the end of the shopping trip. The
Somehow, when I went to open
the back door 1 discovered that all first day of the year was stupid and
of the doors had auto locked, with I want a mulligan. Though I can say
a sad baby inside. And an even sad- that 2013 set the bar very low and
der momma on the outside, there is much that can be improved
Tiffs is what a panic attack feels upon.
like. It can only get better from here.
Keys, baby, cell phone all Happy New Year I guess.
locked inside the car.
I was two seconds from smash- Like" the Walsh Cotmty Press on Face-
book and check out our b/og at http://wa&h-
ing a window, co ,n[~,r,1,l wo dpre lS o,
Hello,
It's that time of the year again.
Revolution. No, wait, resolution.
That's it. Time to set new resolu-
tions. Although sometimes I really
feel that a revolution would be
simpler.
But, then again, I'm not sure
what I would revolt against. Un-
less maybe it is setting resolutions.
Shirley says I have room for
improvement! Really! I have room
tbr improvement. If that isn't a
bunch of bull, I don't know what
is.
She says my number one reso-
lution can be how I react when the
phone rings. You see, I am kind of
a morning person. I don't mind
the phone ringing at 5 in the morn-
ing. That's when I am at my best.
And then I kind of slide down hill
the rest of the day. Wheel of For-
tune and Jeopardy are late night
TV.
So when phone rings after six,
and I am startled, I may titter a
profanity. Like a "J C !" early. At least according to the
And I guess maybe I've been do- head of the house. But when we
ing it a little too long. R J, our four- are teetering on the brink of re-
year-old grandson, was here the cession, I think it is patriotic to do
other afternoon. Quietly playing what little I can to spur the econ-
with his toy soldiers and trucks, omy on.
the phone rang and before anyone Now, she has started hinting
could react, he muttered under his that ! could spend a little more
breath, "Well J C "! time thinking of others at Christ-
Like Grandpa, he doesn't like to mas. You know, the gift giving
be disturbed, thing. Cause you will never guess
And then Shirley has the au- in a million years what I got her
dacity to say I could resolve to cut for Christmas this year! Really!
back on happy hour! Sacrilegious! I'll be like Mitt Romney and bet
Cut back on happy hour! I do think you ten thousand dollars!
it wouldn't hurt to add an s. Make Wait. Wait. You're not even
it happy hours. Since the past year close. Remember when I gave her
they have been starting a little that Butt Masterthing?Remember
when I gave her that Thigh Master
thing that Suzanne Sommers ad-
vertised. And rather than be grate-
fui for worrying about her health,
she wrapped it around my neck!
Ungrateful.
Well, this year, I searched deep
into my soul for something that
she really needed. And the day af-
ter Christmas, it dawned on me.
Something practical and neces-
sary. Something she could look at
every day and think of me. Some-
thing round and shiny. Something
that every woman would love.
A sink stopper. Ours had kind
of rusted away and the sink would-
n't hold water while she did
dishes.
I wish you could have been
there to see the tears of joy as she
opened her only gift of the year.
She was too choked up to talk. In
fact, she hasn't spoken yet!
I think I'm quite a guy. I re-
solve to keep it up.
Later, Dean
3,ood Happenings at Our
sa.maritan Good Samaritan
Monica Simon ADC
New Year's Day was celebrated here at the center with party hats and
noisemakers as we played Dollar Bingo everyone had a good time.
Thursday afternoon Father Luiten entertained us with his wonderful
piano nmsic. Thank you Father.
Upcoming Events:
Jan 103:00 Monthly Birthday Party Hosted by St. Peter and
Bechyne
Jan 11 7:30 Mennonite Singers
Jan 24 3:00 Auxiliary Lunch and Program hosted by OSLC
Paul
I would like to thank everyone who shared their time and talents with
us again this week. Devotional leaders were
LoisYdstie, Dorothy Novak, Monica Simon, Rev. Susan Haukaas, and
Corrine Ramsey. Accompanists were Mary Siem, Monica Simon and
Jan Novak. Mass was led by Father Luiten. Shirly Sobolik led Rosary and
Terry Hagen assisted with Nail's Time. Sheryl Cox led Hymn Sing for
us on Friday afternoon.
We thank everyone who shared there time and talents with us again
this week.
XN NORTH DAKOTA
l bltcHeal Walsh County Health District
, ""' " ' Short Shots
I was spun-ed by a comment someone made recently to do some
research on cancer in North Dakota - how are we doing?
Here are some of the interesting things I found out about in my
research.
Cancer is many diseases and different strategies for control and
prevention are needed for each type.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in North Dakota, just
behind heart disease.
Overall, North Dakota falls below the national average for cancer
rates
64% of cancers occur in people 65 years of age or older.
Four cancer sites -lung, colorectal, breast and prostate-accounts for
58% of cancer cases in ND
Leading type of cancer fbr men in ND is prostate
Leading type of cancer for women in ND is breast
Living a Healthy Life
All cancers caused by cigarette smoking and heavy use of alcohol
could be prevented
Scientific evidence suggests that about one third of cancer deaths
will be related to nutrition, physical inactivity, and ovepcceight or obesity.
Cancers that can be prevented or detected earlier by screening
account for about one half of all new cancer cases.
Some cancers can be prevented with vaccinations (A large
percentage of cervical and liver cancers are caused by viruses that can be
prevented through vaccination).
Visit with your healthcare provider about what screening tests, lifestyle
changes you can make that will decrease your risk of cancer.
Think Tank More Important
than U. S. Senate
Jim DeMint of South Carolina
resigned from the U. S. Senate in
December to become the CEO of
The Heritage Foundation, a
Washington "think tank".
Washington has scores of con-
servative and liberal "think tanks"
cranking out research and infor-
mation that present their particu-
lar viewpoints in the most favor-
able light.
Because they have predeter-
mined policy positions, however,
their research is usually based on
predetermined conclusions,
thereby restricting creative think-
ing. That's why "think tank" is a
misnomer for such groups. They
need to think more.
One observer noted that the
think tanks behind the scenes in
Washington have more influence
than the people who actually
write the bills. There must be a
certain amount of truth to that al-
legation or DeMint would not
think of The Heritage Foundation
as a career promotion.
After all, he gave up a seat at
the most powerful policy table in
the world when several million
Americans would trade their
souls for the opportunity to pull
up a chair.
His resignation sends a signal
about the evolving policy process
in America. Our information dis-
tribution system has made it pos-
sible for all organizations gener-
ating research and information to
become more and more effective.
Cable television has given
credibility to think tanks by using
their spokespersons as commen-
tators on current events. Just
watch the pairing offofadvocates
on CNN and Public Television.
Many of them come from think
tanks.
North Dakota does not have
much in the way of think tanks.
We have a couple of small offices
that spend more time throwing
specious arguments together than
doing original research.
It has long been nay contention
that we have the most under re-
searched state in the Union. The
private sector is doing very little
and the Legislative Council ib-
cuses only on studies proposed
by the Legislature.
Because research can generate
new ideas and test old ones,
North Dakota policy wonks ought
to be particularly interested in the
lesson involved in the DeMint
resignation.
While most think tanks come
up with a conservative or a liberal
slant, not everything they produce
is ideologically driven. In fact,
the American Enterprise Institute,
another conservative think tank,
generated material I found useful
when I taught a class on federal-
ism.
There are plenty of unexplored
issues in North Dakota to "think"
about. Here are a couple of
starters:
1. identifying the winners
and losers in blanket property tax
reductions
2. Excessive flaring of gas
in the oil fields
3. Inequities in the property
tax assessment system
4. Identifying and docu-
menting the victims of oil devel-
opment.
5. Who is not voting and
why - is it disinterest or alien-
ation? (Minnesota always does
better than we do.)
, 6. New options for ex-
panding and strengthening health
care in rural North Dakota
7. The consequences of
mushrooming land prices
8. Dissecting conflicts of
interests in state, county and city
elections
These are not necessarily par-
tisan issues but research would
yield more information and un-
derstanding upon
which new policies could be
based.
If the products of think tanks
get a deaf ear at the Legislature,
the issues can be taken to the peo-
ple through the initiative and ref-
erendum.
With the Legislature now the
primary source fbr policy options,
we do not have competing alter-
natives in critical policy areas.
Democracy is best served when
the public square is vibrant with
competing ideas. Right now, it
appears that North Dakota's pub-
lic square is quiet.
Extension Exchange
Makeover Your Meals
with Healthy Ideas
for 2013
The start of a new year makes
a perfect jumping-off point for
healthier eating habits. Whether
you adopt formal New Year's
resolutions or just take a silent
vow to make smarter choices,
2013 can be the year you give
your meals a "healthy" makeover.
Get started on a menu
makeover by making these nutri-
tion-smart switches in your meals:
Pick more whole fruit in-
stead of juice. When you opt for
juice over whole fruits you're
sacrificing fiber while adding
calories to your meal. A cup of
juice contains only halfa grain of
dietary fiber, compared to three
grains in a whole medium orange.
Look for ways to incorporate
more fruit into your meals. Top
your breakfast cereal with yo-
gurt or bcrric~. Add a [.)cut 4~)1 ~p-
ple to your lunch. Tuna fruit into
dessert.
Skim fat from your dairy
products. Think low-fat and fat-
flee for all your dairy products
such as yogurt, cottage cheese and
milk. Low-fat dairy intake has
been linked to a reduced risk of di-
abetes, hypertension and stroke,
lower inflammation, improved
muscle mass and slimmer belly
fat, and of course it's a good
source of calcium to protect your
bones.
Rediscover oatmeal. Oatmeal
is more affordable than most
boxed cereals and 100% whole
grain oatmeal contains soluble
fiber shown to lower LDL cho-
lesterol. Watch your sugary top-
pings though and add flavor with
flesh or dried fruits, nuts or cocoa
powder.
Switch your sandwiches to
whole-grain bread. Look for the
Whole Grains Council's "100%
Whole Grain" stamp. Check the
ingredient list. Look for ternas
"whole wheat" (or other grain).
The terms "lnulti-grain" or "stone-
ground" don't necessarily mean
bread is truly whole grain.
Stock up on boneless, skinless
chicken breasts. These conven-
ient protein somces are a staple for
a healthy-eater freezer. Ounce for
ounce a skinless chicken breast
has only about 60% of the calories
and a quarter the saturated fat of
a skin-on breast. Watch for portion
sizes, smaller is better for you.
Go fish. Choose seafood at
least twice a week as the main pro-
tein food. Look for seafood rich in
omega-3 fatty acids, such as
sahnon, trout, and herring. Some
ideas are sahnon steak or filet,
sahnon loaf, or grilled or baked
trout. Skip breaded, flied fish and
rich sauces.
Make room for veggies. Think
about making half your plate veg-
etables and fruits. Americans eat
plenty of grains and starches.
Vegetables are full of nutrients and
fewer calories. Choose red, or-
ange, and dark-green veggies
such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes
and broccoli.
Avoid the extra fats. Using
heavy gravies or sauces will add
fat and calories to otherwise
healthy choices. Cook with broth
instead of cream fbr sauces, soups
and gravies. To reduce calories
and saturated fats in dips ex-
change sour-cream based dips in
favor of hummus, no-fat Greek
yogurt or white-bean dips.
Save dessert for special oc-
casions. A daily indulgence of a
slice of pie, bowl of ice cream, or
piece of cake can quickly undo all
your smart choices the rest of the
day. Satisfy your sweet tooth with
fruit instead and make other
desserts a special treat - you'll en-
joy it more.
Happy New Year and Happy
Healthy Eating!
Source: I'ttfis Universio ttealth & Nutri-
tion Lettec Ja/lutt/y 2013
Buying Fruits and American selections. These are va-
Vegetables with Seed rieties that have been given this
Catalogues award by horticulture experts for
This is the time of year the seed their proven performance, again
catalogues start to get mailed to watch the maturity dates. If you are
your house and let the buyer be- going to plant long season crops
ware. Many times those great like melons go with the earliest va-
looking fruit trees in the cata- rieties available if you are seeding
logues are not winter hardy to directly into the garden. I like to
Walsh County and wishing them go with transplants for these long
season vegetables. 1 also like to
to be will not make it so! I per-
sonally try to buy my perennial buy seeds that have the most tol-
plants at the local greenhouses in erance I can find to diseases and
insects. It just makes the summer
Walsh County. I have never had a
hardiness problem with their easier. If you must plant your fa-
plants. I would stay away from the vorite variety that is light on re-
sistance you need to watch them
big chain stores because too many
and deal with the problems as they
times 1 have seen people come
home with material that they got start to appear
on sale at one of these stores that If you are buying asparagus I
was at least 3 growing zones too would recommend getting the ex-
far north for the plant. This can pensive jumbos as they will pro-
also happen with catalogues if duce quicker and I have had bet-
you are not careful. The seed ter survival with them. You can
companies market to a variety of make the row run plants work also
growing zones so you need to but you will most likely lose some
know where you sit when order- and it will be much longer before
ing. I try to stay with a zone 3 or harvest. I have planted both if I
lower to keep the heartache out of was only planting a few the bigger
growing them. If you have shel- plants are well worth the extra cost
tered areas and you want to take a in my experience. If you are plant-
chance I have seen zone 4 plants ing a lot it may be worth the trou-
make it up here but then again I ble to go with row run plants.
have seen them die too. My wife There are many varieties to choose
once bought a zone 5 butterfly from. I have 3 different varieties
bush without consulting her local in my yard. I like to do that to get
county agent and insisted that I diversity with my plants so if one
plant it. Having consulted with her variety is having trouble you will
local county agent 1 told her it have two others that hopefully will
would be dead in the spring. It not. If you really want to go on the
was. Sometimes you have to do cheap plant the seeds but you
things to keep peace and being will have a lot of work into them
right did not make things better, by the time you get your first
When buying seeds I like All taste.
1-9
1-24
Dates to Remember:
Walsh County Annual Fair Meeting, Extension Office
Park River, 6:30 p.m.
Walsh County Livestock Improvement Meeting,
Alexander House Park River Noon
