Government by TV

Are you a C-SPAN watcher? Do you turn on CitiLink and watch the City business happenings right in your living room? C-SPAN is marking 35 years of live coverage of the House of Representatives this week.   "It's probably the worst thing that happened to the Congress," Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, declared in an interview with USA TODAY. He goes on to say that he thinks the television coverage has contributed to the polarization between parties today.

That's partly true, I suppose. If you are a political junkie of any proportion, you have multitude of news outlets on TV to satisfy your interest. Add in the FOX NEWS, MSNBC, CNN, etc. and you can bombard your senses to eternity and never really know what is reality and fact.  

Let's be clear, however. FOX and MSNBC are not televising news. They are televising opinions and commentary. C-SPAN is televising actual official meetings of government in action without commentary.
Is what we are seeing on TV good government or is it the theatrics of elected officials pandering to their base? I'm not sure that is any better than the blathering we listen to on FOX or MSNBC, but it is certainly better than no information at all.

I have to admit that I was a strong proponent of expanding the city's cable channel decades ago. We had a cable channel and we weren't using it. The city had a unique opportunity to bring government to the people. Broadcasting official city council meetings, Planning Commission meetings, board meetings was a new idea and frankly not everyone wanted it broadcast in such a public way. The public might actually see the emperor with no clothes on, so to speak. Others embraced the concept and that's where theatrics comes into play. It doesn't matter whether you are a municipal, county or state elected official or whether you are a member of Congress, playing to the camera gives you a license to act and play to the audience. And it is done every day.

So how do we poor minions determine what is real and what is fake? The fact is we don't know. My answer to that is to watch all of it to form my own opinion. The reality is a lot of the public chooses one outlet and takes what it hears from one source for fact and that's how polarization between parties and harsh discourse is created and sustained.

Government needs to see the light of day. We need to see the good, the bad, and the ugly. There are millions of people who love to watch government in action. There are millions of people who watch nothing and pay no attention to what government is doing. I side with turning the lights and cameras on government, even when I know elected officials are just pandering to their base and not demonstrating good public policy for all. Because without TV, elected officials are hiding behind the curtain and when you hide behind the curtain bad things can happen to us minions.

Perfect? No, but it's better than total blackout and ignorance.

The Oxymoron of Sioux Falls Metropolitan Area

Source: ARGUS LEADER

As of May, 49.1 percent of students in grades K-5 in the Sioux Falls district received the federal government’s school lunch subsidy, up 5.4 percentage points from the previous year. The middle and high school rates were up 5.1 and 4.7 points, respectively.

Eligibility is determined by the number of people and total income in a household. For a three person household, the yearly income maximum is $25,389 to qualify for free meals and $36,131 for reduced-price meals.

Reynold Nesiba, an associate professor of economics at Augustana College. -  “We have a very low unemployment rate, but there are so many people that are working lower-wage jobs, and a higher number of people working two or more jobs.”

South Dakota Division of Labor statistics show that half the workforce in the four-county Sioux Falls Metropolitan Area earns less than $15 an hour — about $31,000 per year.

School board member Kent Alberty, who is also co-owner of a staffing company in Sioux Falls. -  “When you see 3 percent unemployment, you would think, well, companies must be thinking about bumping up their starting pay. I’m not seeing a lot of that. I think we’re seeing too many low-paying jobs and families struggling to make ends meet, even with two incomes.”

Cathy Brechtelsbauer, a Sioux Falls resident with the anti- hunger group Bread for the World. -  “It’s not good enough to have low unemployment. Work needs to pay enough to raise children,” she said. The situation is made worse for these children, she said, because many of them are in familes hit by last month’s cuts to the federal food stamp program, which means less food at home.

 

Nationally, we see a push to increase the minimum wage with tepid support. We see Congress push their agenda to reduce the federal deficit by attacking the poor and elderly through benefit cuts to the unemployed, the poor through food stamp programs, the elderly through cuts to Medicare and Social Security.

Locally, we see headlines on how prosperous Sioux Falls is once again. We are told of record setting building permits, record setting sales tax revenues, low unemployment rates. Development plans to build 2 more Walmarts, new strip mall developments, new apartment complexes., big square foot houses. 

If you notice where the development growth is, you will see it is in the suburbs of Sioux Falls, not in the core of Sioux Falls which is now becoming the haven for the under served and economically challenged of this community.

Sioux Falls is an interesting city as it's growth and prosperity praises are sung at fevered pitch by our mayor, city councilors and developers. It's interesting though, that these same public officials and the developers do not talk about the growing problems of the core of the city. The poor and economically challenged citizens of this city is becoming the city's dirty little secret.

The ARGUS LEADER's story in the 12-29-13 Sunday Edition about poverty affecting the Sioux Falls School District is a clear indication of the oxymoron of the city of Sioux Falls. Higher crime rates, higher numbers accessing the Banquet, the Food Bank, the Salvation Army, increase in K-12 grade children who need to feed at school  - the list goes on. The trends are becoming disturbing and it seems our public officials may be asleep at the wheel.

The talk of economic inequality nationally seems to have trickled down to our city as well and it's not a pretty picture.

 

March Madness

I love March Madness. I got the sports bug from my father. Dad would print the schedule out and keep track throughout the tournament. He would call us kids on the phone to talk about the games and if the Minnesota Golden Gophers were in the dance, all the better.

My dad is no longer with us but my sister printed out the schedule for me last week and I sat glued to the TV all day Thursday and most of Friday switching back and forth between the four channels trying to watch all the games and keep up with the scores and upsets. My sister admonished me for constantly switching between channels and I told her Dad was smiling down on me, proud that I was totally engaged in the tournament. I wish I could call him.

Having the Summit League tournament in Sioux Falls is a big thing and it is exciting to watch.  The community support of this tournament cements it being here each year and when it moves to the new event center, it will be quite a show. SDSU's girls and boys basketball success has electrified the state.

I was so hoping the Jackrabbits boys were going to become the new Cinderella team this year but alas, it was not to be. It is exciting to watch the SDSU boys and girls make it to the dance each year. But eventually, they have to be more successful than just making it to the first round. I watch the strength and size of the higher ranked teams and I wonder how the Summit League teams can compete with those schools.

I think it's fine to be excited about winning the Summit League championship but eventually that is just not going to be enough, is it? I am not a sports expert, by any means, but I am of the opinion that the Summit League is a weak league when you watch this tournament.

Yes, we are proud of our South Dakota teams but just making it to the dance is no longer going to be enough. I want the South Dakota March Madness to last longer two and a half hours.

Now, excuse me, I have to get back to switching betweening four channels and adding a fifth channel so I can watch the SDSU girls at 3:15 p.m. Go Jacks!!! And Dad, here's a thumbs up to your precious Golden Gophers!!

Guns

I wasn't going to write a musing about guns because it can become such an incendiary topic but I just can't sit on the sidelines regarding this issue. The Sandy Hook Elementary shooting was horrific. I cannot get the image of those six and seven year old children being mowed down by a semi automatic assault rifle, some being hit up to eleven times. How do you get that kind of image out of your head?

Finally, after a self imposed silence following the massacre at Sandy Hook, the National Rifle Association's top leader, Wayne LaPierre, said at a Washington news conference yesterday that, quote, "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun."

That may be, but does it have to be with an assault rifle and hundreds of magazine clips of ammunition? I drove past a gun shop in Sioux Falls a couple days ago and the parking lot was packed. I suppose every gun enthusiast in the area was in that shop buying up as many guns as they can, panicked because they think they are going to lose their right to bear arms.

LaPierre wants schools to have armed guards, volunteers if you can imagine. Did you know that over one third of the schools in this country already have uniformed police officers serving as resource officers in schools? Did you know that Columbine had an armed deputy sheriff at the school the day of the shooting there and it still did not deter the massacre?

It amazes me that people cannot stay rational and instead of going "ballistic" and losing their collective rational minds regarding this issue. Now we have a state legislature who wants to introduce a bill allowing school teachers and other personnel to bring guns to schools. I don't think school superintendents and school boards across this country need the NRA or state legislatures to dictate how to deal with gun violence in their schools.

Why did everyone wait with baited breath to hear what the NRA had to say on the massacre at Sandy Hook?

Why do they seem to have such power in this country to even be credible and relevant when speaking about the horror in Newtown, Connecticut?

Why should we have to listen to what LaPierre has to say about what this country should do about school safety while he arrogantly proclaims guns not to be the problem?

Guns are his bread and butter. Guns are his money. LaPierre and his NRA are the least credible spokesman to speak on this issue and La Pierre was entirely self serving.

That press conference yesterday was disgusting and insulting to the American public and the grieving families in Newtown, Connecticut.

There is no rational reason for any person to own a semi-automatic assault rifle and magazine clips that spit out 30 to 100 hundred rounds of ammunition in a split second ripping bodies apart as people are mowed down. It's excessive, it's overkill and both must be banned. Why can't it be as simple as that?

A History of Mass Shootings in the USA

This list (copied from the ARGUS LEADER)  is a heartbreaking chronicle of violence in this country. I hate the way some people take these horrific acts and mold them into comments to support their left or right wing political agenda. Why can't we just be horrified at the loss of innocent life and express grief and support in a respectful manner? The shameful comments questioning the validity of President Obama's expression of emotion is beyond the pale. The breakdown in humanity, respect,  and decency in this country due to political partisanship is shocking and disturbing. Notable mass shootings in US December 2012: Gunman kills 20 elementary students, 6 teachers and his mother in Newtown, Connecticut.   Aug. 2012: Gunman kills six, before taking his own life at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin outside Milwaukee. July 2012: Twelve people are killed when a gunman opens fire during opening night of a Batman movie in Aurora, Colo. April 2012: Gunman kills seven at a California Christian university. Jan. 2011: Gunman kills six people and wounds 13, including then-U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, in a shooting spree outside a grocery store in Tucson, Ariz. Nov. 2009: Thirteen killed and more than two dozen wounded at Fort Hood, Texas, army base. April 2009: Man opens fire at an immigrant community center in Binghamton, N.Y., killing 13 before taking his own life. March 2009: Man kills 10 people, including five relatives in rural Alabama, then kills himself. Feb. 2008: Former student opens fire in a lecture hall at Northern Illinois University, fatally shooting five students and wounding 18 others before committing suicide. Dec. 2007: Man opens fire at Westroads Mall in Omaha, Neb., killing eight, before taking his own life.   April 2007: Student kills 32 people and himself on Virginia Tech campus. April 1999: Two students open fire at Columbine High School in Colorado, killing 13 and wounding 26 others before killing themselves. May 1998: Two teens killed and more than 20 people wounded when a teenager opens fire at a high school in Springfield, Ore., after killing his parents. Oct. 1991: Man opens fire at a Luby’s Cafeteria in Killeen, Texas, killing 23 and wounding 20 before taking his own life. June 1990: Man shoots people at General Motors Acceptance Corp. office in Jacksonville, Fla., killing 10 and wounding four, before killing himself. Aug. 1986: Postal worker who was about to be fired shoots 14 at a post office in Edmond, Okla., then kills himself. Aug. 1966: Man opens fire from the clock tower at the University of Texas at Austin, killing 16 people and wounding 31.

RIP John Holsen, My Dear Father

My father was of strong Norwegian stock. His parents, brothers and other relatives all lived well into their 90’s.  He spoke Norwegian and loved to stump us with funny sayings. He led us in the Norwegian table prayer at family gatherings.

Dad said it was his goal to live to 100. He never looked his age and was delighted when people were astounded at how old he actually was. We are grateful that he was healthy and maintained his cognitive abilities until the stroke in February of this year. His children and grandchildren were with him when he reached 94 years, a short 14 days ago.

Dad grew up in Moorhead, Minnesota, the middle son of immigrant parents from Norway. He was singled out of his class in the 8^th grade along with 9 other students to take Latin classes for the remaining years in high school, because he was identified as a gifted student. 

He quoted Latin to us growing up and loved to put Latin words on the scrabble board to stump Reid and Pam.

He played basketball in high school and was called Hols by his classmates and Dead Eye Dick in the local sports page. His love of sports has continued throughout his life. We lovingly called him - a sports fanatic. His grandsons and granddaughter all played sports in high school and he was especially proud of Sam who went on to play college football. He reveled in all their accomplishments.  

He liked to be told when the grandkids got their report cards and sometimes would reward them monetarily, to their delight. He carried that forward with his great grandchildren John and Hannah.

Dad was the only one in his family to go to college. He earned his BA degree in English and History from Concordia College in 1940. He was so proud of his time at Concordia and wore his Concordia class ring his entire life.

Dad was involved in theater in high school and at Concordia College. He said if it wasn't for the war and his getting drafted, maybe he would have pursued acting as a career. He has talked about his experience in college with great fondness and memories. 

Dad was such a grammarian. He constantly told us to enunciate our words. Stand tall, look people in the eye and enunciate. His great grandson John has his acting ability and his speaking ability and we speak often how Dad’s legacy lives on in his great grandson John.

 
Dad got his first job as a teacher and coach in Gwinner, ND.  However, he got drafted in 1941 and any thoughts to acting quickly went by the wayside. 

He received his basic training at Camp Roberts in California and after basic training got a job as a payroll clerk on the base. He took great pleasure in the fact that he convinced the people in California he could type, when he couldn't, in order to get a clerk's job.  He talked about getting that job with a sense of glee because he believed he outsmarted those people at the base.

He was offered the opportunity to go to OCS school at Fort Benning, Georgia and graduated in 1943 as a 2^nd Lieutenant.  He was sent oversees in 1943 and landed in Brisbane joining the 41^st Division at Rock Hampton, Australia.  He talked often about Australia and it seemed his time there was a little bit of heaven in the midst of great discomfort for many years.  He got malaria, he got a Dear John letter, he played poker and he sent money home to his mother.

He served in campaigns in New Guinea, East Indies, the Philippines, fighting in Mindenow and Basalon and was one of the first of the occupation forces to land in Japan. He often talked about walking all the way to Japan.  Dad came home from Tokyo and was discharged from the Army in 1946 with the rank of Captain.

In his later years when he finally started to talk about his experiences in WWII, he talked about his service medals and ribbons and what should be done with them. We decided to put them in a memory box for him and he pulled them out from where ever he had them stored.

He wrote Pam a note saying: You put yourself in your situation. You can get yourself out of it. Learn to live with it. He said, I got myself into that situation, meaning OCS school and subsequent deployment to the South Pacific by giving up a cushy clerical job and going to Fort Benning and getting a commission as an officer in the infantry.

He was a good soldier, a man who reached the rank of Captain and earned the Bronze medal.  We are proud of his service and the fact that he fought and endured so much for his country. His grandson Matthew continued the tradition of service to country by serving in the United States Marines for 6 years. Dad was very proud of Matthew’s service to his country.

When Dad got out of the service, he came home and went to the Employment Services office to apply for unemployment at $20 a week.  They ended up hiring him.  He didn't stay at the Employment office very long because he wanted to teach. He got a job in Winnebago in 1947. However, he quit and went to work for the New Ulm Employment Service.

Mom was staying with her parents in Fargo while he looked for a place to live and she called to tell him she was pregnant with twins. He often told Pam and me that mother cried when she told him they were having twins.

Meanwhile, Winnebago called him and offered him the principal’s job on the condition he get his master’s degree.  He agreed and he started the master’s program at the University of Minnesota the summer of 1948. 

He intended to go to school each summer but lost two summers when he got called back into the Army during the Korean Conflict, in July 1950.  He was recalled to the Army as a Captain. He was assigned to Fort Custer at Battle Creek, Michigan.  We lived on the base at Fort Custer for about a year when Dad received orders for Germany. Mother was pregnant with John and dad applied for a discharge when John was born on the army base.  The Army allowed eligibility for a discharge if you had 3 children. 

We all returned to Winnebago where Dad served as principal until 1955 when he got the Senior High principal job in Luverne. His Winnebago days were filled with lasting relationships. Winnebago was where he met and sustained a lifelong friendship with Bob and Donna Rose.

Their politics were like night and day even back in the Winnebago days and have lasted a lifetime. Those political differences never impacted their friendship. Bob and Donna and their daughter Elizabeth and we are grateful for their loving friendship.

He was often invited back to Winnebago for class reunions and former students from that era continued to come up to him in Mankato to talk to him. He often lamented that he could not remember their names and how could they possible remember him.

Dad got offers for principal jobs over the years but Pam and I begged him not to move us from Luverne and he did not take those jobs.  I think back on his willingness to sacrifice his career moves for his two daughters and am forever grateful for his generosity and compassion for the wishes of his daughters. 

In 1970, he became the Jr. High Principal in North Mankato.  Dad remained at North Mankato Junior High and Mankato West until his retirement in 1983.  1983 was a very sad year for all of us, because his wife and our mother died of cancer at 58 years of age.  Dad decided he didn’t want to work anymore after mother died and retired in May, 1983.

After he retired, he went on to announce High School girls’ basketball in Mankato. He also announced track meets, swim meets and 9^th grade football games for Mankato public schools. 

Dad loved the game of golf and continued to play golf regularly until his 90^th year. His grandchildren have very fond memories of him teaching them how to golf. He would say, swing with ease and you’re sure to please.  Another metaphor from Dad on how to live your life.

Dare we forget his love of the Minnesota Twins, the Gophers and the Vikings? He was most content sitting in his chair watching sports. Any sports, it didn’t matter. When he found out there was actually a golf channel on cable we worried he was never going to leave the house again.

Dad’s years as an educator have meant everything to him.  He believed in kids, even the tough ones.  He is remembered by the many students he was involved with during his career.  To some, he was the principal who cared enough about them to teach them in summer school so they could get a signed diploma when a teacher gave them a failing grade that prevented them from graduating. To others, he was the principal who showed caring and compassion when a girl found herself pregnant and unable to come to school.  He helped them continue their education so they didn’t become drop outs.  He could be stern but he was fair.  He loved to fill-in in the classroom when a teacher called in sick. I remember many mornings calling him to the phone to deal with an absent teacher. 

In September, 2003 The North Mankato Junior High Staff held a reunion and threw a surprise 85^th birthday party for Dad at a restaurant in Mankato. He was very honored by their action and it truly exemplified the impact he had on people’s lives as an educator.

Reputation meant everything to Dad. We were always told to act like the world was watching our every step. He was a proud man where honor, duty, family commitment meant everything and measured him as a man. He loved his profession and felt strongly about helping those students who struggled to graduate.

Throughout Dad’s life former students would stop and greet him.  He always wondered why he was chosen to live through WW II when so many others died.  We believed and always told him it was because of the mark he left on our lives and so many students’ lives through the years of his teaching and caring about kids.

He taught Sunday school and adult church classes for many years both in Luverne and in Mankato. He was a scholar of the Bible and a Stephen minister.  His faith was important to him his entire life.

Dad was an avid book reader.  He taught his children the love of a good book and his children and grandchildren are avid readers today.  He was always quoting someone or something to us.  Quotes that had a life meaning.  

His letters and notes to us were always filled with words of wisdom and there were many times that those words sustained us in times of trial.

His favorite bible reference to us was: 

Suffering produces endurance, Endurance produces character, Character produces hope and Hope doesn’t disappoint you.  Facing adversity always meant support from him and this saying always brought us comfort and peace. 

He was inspirational when he felt we needed a lift and we were so grateful for his loving guidance. We found this writing in one of his notes to us:

 “In our age of health and wealth gospels, it is salutary to note that the concept of Christ’s kingdom is linked directly to tribulation and perseverance. Members of Christ’s kingdom will not be strangers to suffering and tribulation. Their response is perseverance. Perseverance, continuing in a direction when circumstances are not favorable is both possible and wise only because Christ is the Alpha and the Omega. The long view he wrote helps us to separate the important from the trivial.”

He wrote my sister Pam a lot, inserting his words of wisdom and inspiration. In one note he talked about Brother John and how well he was doing. He quoted 1^st Corinthians, Chapter 13, verse 7: Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. He said it was a good verse to live by.

It is hard to lose one’s parents, no matter how old they are, no matter how long or short their life on this earth may be. Dad lived a strong Norwegian life and made us who are today and we are all forever grateful and blessed.

These past 7 months have been honor and a privilege, and a blessing for us his children and grandchildren to take care of Dad since his first stroke in February.

I would bring my grandson Finn to the nursing home after I picked him up from kindergarten. His school was across the street from the nursing home and he would come out and say are we going to see Grandpa today? Dad’s eyes would light up when Finn came into his room saying, hi grandpa. Dad would hold his arms up to give Finn a hug. Finn loved his grandpa John and would say to me, Grandpa is really old. You’re old too Grandma but not as old as Grandpa John.

We talked about memories with dad those days in the nursing home. We quietly sat beside him afternoons and evenings as he slept, and ate with him in the dining room at Prince of Peace, reassuring him that he was not alone,  that he was loved dearly and how important he has been to us all our whole lives.

The day of his death he was lovingly surrounded by his children and his grandchildren. Dad has finally gone home to hear the words of the Lord, Welcome worthy and loyal servant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blog Going Dark

Jennifer's Musings is going silent so I can devote my time to my sick and dying Father. I am sincerely grateful to those readers who expressed concern and offered words of comfort and prayers. This is a very difficult time for my family and me. My focus is on what is truly important - love of family and commitment and support to a father who has shaped my life and provided me with guidance, love and support my entire life. Good-bye.

Life Goes On

Life goes on when you are out of the loop. It is interesting how easy it is to get caught up in your own little world while the rest of the world keeps humming along. It happens to everyone. Families working multiple jobs to make ends meet while dealing with childcare issues don't have the energy to stay in the loop with the world around them. People are busy with their own lives and taking care of their families and don't have time to pay attention to local, state or world affairs.

I have a dear friend whose mother has Alzheimer's. She and her sisters jointly care for their dear mother in their homes. Mama stays with one daughter Friday through Tuesday and goes to the other daughter's home Tuesday through Friday. The daughters work together to provide Mama the love and care necessary to make her life livable and surrounded with love.

Family tragedies happen every day to someone or some one's family. People suffer emotionally and life goes on. For me, dealing with a parent who has had a stroke and lives two and a half hours away means a lot of windshield time and being away from home for days at a time. And it means being out of loop which is not the norm for me.

It is easy to lose track of local and national news when your daily life is consumed by doctors, nurses, therapists and a father who no longer can retain the smallest bit of information for longer than two seconds and doesn't understand what has happened to him. A life changes in a medical instant and results in life altering decisions for both my father and step mother who have been living independently in their own home. The emotional toll on everyone is huge.

Physical therapy makes my father's body stronger but speech therapy, music therapy, and occupational therapy cannot repair those breaks in his brain that impact his cognitive skills. Every piece of information must be delivered over and over again as he struggles to understand and comprehend who people are and how he once knew them. Routine gives him piece of mind and a visit can throw his routine completely off. Our visits are not hours, they are days because the thought of leaving him alone to struggle through his new situation is almost more than we all can bear. He doesn't want us to leave and worries about how he will get to the dining room, who will help him get dressed or get ready for bed. He doesn't understand why this has happened to him and why he can't go home.
 
Making life changing decisions regarding their lives means selling a home, finding places for them to live without each other, coming to the realization that you must now take on the parenting of a parent and realizing that it is now your turn to give back to your parent what they have given to you your entire life. That's why they call it "family."

Changing roles. Life goes on. It's just different now.

Running for Political Office

The city is facing an election in the Spring and 4 city council seats are up at the ballot box. People are circulating petitions to run for one of the four council seats and the filing deadline is February 24th.

One thing we know for sure is that appointive employees and civil service employees are prohibited from political activity per city ordinance:

Sec. 30-23. Political activity.

No officer or employee under the civil service or appointive officers shall, directly or indirectly, contribute money or anything of value to or render service in behalf of the candidacy of any candidate for nomination or election to any city office. The expression in private of personal views concerning candidates for political office is not prohibited hereby. Violation of this section shall be grounds for discharge or other disciplinary action.

Sec. 30-24. Political interference.

No officer or employee of the city shall discharge, degrade or promote or in any manner change the official rank of any other officer or employee or promise or threaten to do so for giving or withholding any contribution of money or other valuable thing for any party or political purpose or for refusal or neglect to render any party political service.

It is a fine line, however. Unions representing city employees have endorsed candidates for mayor and city council. A city employee can't publicly state they support someone or give money to someone's campaign but their spouse could do so. The point is, city employees still have the power to influence an election just by talking about it with friends and family and spreading the word that one candidate or another is good for employees or not.

Candidates go to the labor temple and promise the union membership all kinds of things. Sometimes those promises don't materialize once the person gets elected. Candidates can buy lists and send city employees letters about their campaign. I think we all can relate to the fact that what is said on the campaign trail doesn't always materialize into reality once elected. People say what ever they think is expedient to get support and win elections. Just watch the current GOP primary and you get the picture. People say things when they have no idea what city government is all about. They don't have any understanding of the doings of local government until they take office and start the hard work as a duly elected official. Attending a council meeting a month or two in advance of a campaign does not prove one is a knowledgeable candidate on public policy issues related to city government.

It was always interesting to observe the qualifications of candidates and read between the lines on what the candidate's motivation was to run for public office. I think some people just like the notariety and attention they get from running for office. They don't have any real sense of what influencing public policy means nor do they have the ability to identify a problem, recommend solutions and build consensus for change. Usually, building consensus and influencing public policy through various ordinance changes requires a tit for tat sometimes. You give me your vote on this and I will give you my vote on that. It happens at the national level, it happens at the state level, it happens at the local level. If you don't believe that, then you are very naive.

The question remains, do you need to be affliated with a political party to effectively run for and get elected to local office at the city or county level? Our political leanings are influenced by our families, others who may influence us and by our political affliliations. Anyone can circulate a petition to get on the ballot. You don't necessarily have to be politically active or be affiliated with a certain party to run for mayor or city council. Actually, party politics was not evident in city elections until this new form of government became effective back in 1995. Party politics is slowly creeping into city elections. There is no place in city government for left wing or right wing politicians like you see in the SD Legislature.

Just because you are an incumbent, doesn't necessarily mean you deserve to win re-election. However, incumbency is a powerful tool to winning re-election. I think the public is lazy when it comes to voting in an election. They either take the no-brainer approach and blindly vote straight party no matter what the qualifications of a candidate might be. They see a name they recognize and think, well, they already won an election, why not just let them keep their seat. They let someone else tell them who to vote for in an election and they blindly do it without asking why that person should get their vote. What makes them the best candidate? I wish more people would think about the answer before putting their pencil down on that little circle next to someone's name on the ballot just because someone told them to vote that way. Yet, party affliliation is evident in city elections these days and in appointments of director positions and boards and commissions.

It sure seems that running for political office is no longer made for everyone. If you don't have a political machine behind you, you might not be successful at the voting booth. The last mayoral election proved that. Local politics and running for local office is no longer a Mayberry moment where anyone can run and win. You need money. You need an organization. You need time. You need volunteers. You need some sort of a grass roots machine to run for political office. You need to knock on doors and spread the word about who you are and what you will do to be an effective elected official.

Influencing public policy and overseeing the public administration of city government is no longer a simple task. City government is complex. Influencing public policy and making changes to public policy is a big deal. Running for political office is no longer easy and for everyone. You need to have the stamina, a thick skin, a brain, humility, an open mind, some knowledge on public policy, a willingness to serve the public and the ability to learn local public administration issues PDQ.

I don't think the office of mayor and the city council seats are the same nor do I think they demand the same type of political candidate. One is an administrator or like our current mayor likes to call it, a CEO while the other one is influencing, adopting or amending public policy. Very different qualifications for very distinct political offices.

Pay attention to who is running and think about why they should have your vote. There is a lot going on in this city, important issues, and we need people who can see the forest in spite of trees. This council race is not about finding someone who will fight the current mayor or provide good theater. It's about good government and who is going to be an effective councilor instead of an individualist with a lone objective. The race is about to begin.

The Super Bowl Means Super Everything

It is that time of year when the Super Bowl takes over the airways and the hearts and minds of a lot of Americans. Football is to the U.S. what Soccer is to the rest of the world. Even people who aren't really into football, get into the mania of the Super Bowl.

It is a marketing genius with unbelievably funny and creative commercials. Which is a feat in and of itself considering the fact that most people DVR programs these days just so they don't have to watch those endless commercials. If they can make them so funny on Super Bowl Sunday, why can't they make them this funny and entertaining the rest of the year?

It isn't just about football though.

It is about food.

It is about camaraderie with friends and family.

It is about the next big gathering after the big gathering during the holidays. However, it is the gathering that doesn't bring the same kind of anxiety that comes with shopping, spending too much money or not making it even steven with the grandchildren.

It is about shouting loud, big pats on the back, high fives and eating and drinking, and drinking and eating.

It's about getting together to watch a football game even if your team isn't in the game.

It's about watching the half time show, wondering if there will be a wardrobe malfunction.

It's about betting something if you are so inclined.

It's about watching the endless hype shows leading up to the big game.

It's about trying to decide who you are going to cheer for when your team has once again let you down for the umpteenth season but you know when the season comes back in the fall you will be right back as a loyal follower again.


It's about the pre-game show and all the stories about the players.

It's about an afternoon and evening in the warmth of your house or someone's house having fun and not having it cost you an arm and leg.

It's being thankful you are watching the fun extravaganza on a flat screen TV with a resolution that makes you feel like you can step right into the picture.

It's about the mad texting to your father after some unbelievable play or touchdown.

It's about hoping to see Betty White in another commercial this year. Who doesn't love Betty White?

It's about the anticipation of the new Pepsi commercial featuring Elton John.

It's about the two quarterbacks and wondering why is it that the quarterbacks are always the good looking guys on the team.

It's about hoping the owner of the winning team doesn't hog the trophy again this year.

It's wondering how they picked Indianapolis for the site of the Super Bowl this year even if it is indoors. I wonder if they would ever pick Minneapolis as a super bowl site if Minnesota promised to build the Minnesota Vikings a new stadium?

It's about the hope that the big game will be an exciting as the game between the San Fransisco 49'ers and the New Orleans Saints this year. Was that a game or what?

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

Happy Thanksgiving!

As I gather with my family on this Thanksgiving Day, I am grateful that I am surrounded by people who are caring and compassionate people. We have so much to be thankful for this year. We still have our 93 year old Father with us. We are blessed with young children in our family who bring the joy and wonderment of the holiday season into our lives and we have the anticipation of another new baby girl coming into our family. This Thanksgiving Day we will share fellowship, eat foods that remind us of our dear Mother who passed away, talk fondly of her and enjoy being together again on this day of thanksgiving.

I wish for all of you joy and happiness and love on this Thanksgiving Day. And a piece of apple pie and ice cream.

When Your Body Decides to Checkmate

Every so often I get a punch that reminds me that life can be a fragile thing. I have an electrical problem in my heart that appeared rather suddenly in 2004 resulting in a four and a half day in the hospital.  It's called atrial fibrillation which is a pretty common thing but when it gets way out of control and the heart just won't cooperate by converting on its own in a relative period of time, it's a problem. I suppose there were signs before then where I kind of ignored the fluttering symptoms. Fluttering is one thing, but when your heart goes out of rhythm and stays that way, it creates a ripe environment for a stroke. I have been hospitalized when my heart doesn't convert on it's own. My Dad has atrial fib. I have it and it is irritating. I'm one of the lucky ones because I always know when I get out of sync. I can feel it. I also know when I am going to need outside help.

Actually, I have been doing great since 2007. That was the last time I had to be admitted for it. Drugs can do wonderful things and various drug therapies have worked for periods of time. The first drug therapy worked from 2004 to 2007. The second drug therapy worked good until now. Boom, I had two episodes last week that reminded me this is no minor thing.

I am a stubborn person. I try to get these issues under control on my own, usually holding out hope that my heart will quit being so stupid and cooperate. I actually believe I can control it. So, I usually wait 45 minutes to an hour before I tell my sister we should probably haul ass to the ER. Her usual response is to get very irritated with me and wants to call an ambulance. To me that is just an over reaction and a waste of money. I worry that I will know those first responders, the firefighters, and it will be embarrassing.  I figure by the time we call for ambulance we can be on the interstate on our way to the hospital. I hate the thought of the expense to the city's health fund. I know what a ride in an ambulance costs. It's the old HR experience with me hearing the cha ching sound as the money falls out of the fund. You see, I am a retiree and I know what retirees cost the health fund.

The first episode occurred on November 3rd and a visit to the Heart Hospital ER. My sister drove me and I made her sit out in the parking lot with me until I was sure I couldn't make that damn heart go back in sync. I finally gave up and went in. I always worry that they will tell me I am not really in full blown atrial fib. Luckily I converted with drugs about 3 and a half hours later and went home. Things were not right all week after that but I just thought the old ticker was trying to settle down into its routine.

Nope, it needed to do a checkmate. Something happened that was worse than the normal atrial fibrillation problem. Something called ventricular tachycardia that scared the beejeebies out of me. I actually thought I was going to die this time. I barely made it into the ER on my own steam without passing out.  I waited about two hours this time because the thought of going back to the ER less than a week later seemed obscene to me. Much to my chagrin, the same ER nurse was there again. I said to him, "don't you ever go home?"  All of sudden there were many people in the room with him. Different than a week ago. My initial EKG was very different this time. My ER friend patted my arm and said, "this causes death so I am glad we caught it on your EKG."  No going home this time, I got a ride upstairs to the heart floor.

This was no normal atrial fib episode. A referral to a cardiologist specializing in electrophysiology came next.  A hospital stay that lasted 4 days. Good grief. All I heard was lectures from my sister, my son, my brother, you get the picture, about calling for an ambulance. Yea, Yea, we will see next time. The thing is I know, you know? They are responding this way because they are afraid. My poor sister, all she kept saying on the interstate was - don't pass out on me. I feel bad about that, but not bad enough to call for an ambulance.

You have to find humor in all this. I sent a friend an email and told him the vote caused me to go to the heart hospital. You can about imagine the response I got. No, the vote didn't cause a heart attack. I may have been against the event center, but trust me, in the scheme of things, the vote results was just another day in river city.

You see, everything is relative. But when your body gives you a checkmate - now that is something to take seriously. I am fine and ready to blog another day. No way, am I done. I am just beginning.

Checkmate!!!

October is Breast Cancer Month

Pink is every where. It's October. It's a reminder that I don't really like although I understand the need to build awareness. Last Saturday, my nephew Sam wore pink shoelaces and pink stockings when he went out on the Augustanta football field in honor of his Aunt Pam.  I want someone to conquer the disease.

I don't need a reminder. It kills. It killed my best friend in 1999. It broke my heart and took away a friend that filled my heart with love, kindness, thoughtfulness and friendship that was to endure through our retirement years. We grew up together in our twenties, raised our children together, spent every spare moment together and worked together at the telephone company in Virginia. We planned our retirement years. I don't need the month of October to remember her spirit or feel her loss as a friend. The loss is a forever feeling.

I live with the threat of breast cancer. My identical twin sister is a breast cancer survivor. We live her survival every day and when she goes in for her checkups we hold our breath that survival is still the word. Losing her to this disease would be like cutting off part of my body. I thought losing my friend to the disease was almost inconsolable but losing my twin sister to the disease would be catastrophic to my life as I know it.

We don't acknowledge or particpate in breast cancer walks and the like. My twin sister does not like being reminded that she had breast cancer. She says she lives it everyday. A walk in October is just another day with the disease. For others, the various events in the month of October provide peace and support. To each their own.

Her daughter and I talked her into getting a breast cancer survival ribbon tatoo on our right arms. She did it because we asked her to do it with us. We thought it was a show of our support.  She hates that tatoo because she says everytime she looks at her arm, it is a reminder that she had breast cancer. She is thankful each year when she gets the thumbs up news that she is still cancer free. It is that little irritating thought that sits back in the subconscious that is a reminder. October is not seen as a month of celebration. Each day, each month, each year being cancer free is a celebration in and of itself for her.

When I go in for my yearly mammogram in November, I am once again reminded by the technician that I am at risk because my twin had breast cancer. I don't need a reminder. I live with a reminder, my sister. I need a cure. So I thank all those people who support breast cancer research through their donations and support. We each do what we can for the cause because the majority of us are touched by this disease one way or another.

Top of the World

I would imagine everyone remembers where they were when the World Trade Center Twin Towers were hit on September 11, 2001. It's kind of like the moment when you heard President Kennedy was shot or when Pearl Harbor was bombed. It is a defining moment in our lives when tragedy engulfs a nation.

I was sitting in my office when someone came in and told me to turn on the TV because a plane had flown into one of the twin towers in New York City and the building was burning. It was an awful sight and people started gathering around the TV in shock. We watched as the second plane appeared on the TV screen and slammed into the other tower. It was shocking to realize what we thought at first was a terrible accident was now a deliberate attack. It was hard to comprehend what we were seeing on TV.

I was in New York City with friends back in the early 1980's. We went to the World Trade Center. We wanted to eat at the Windows of the World Restaurant located in the North Tower but we were not adequately dressed. We decided to take the elevator to the indoor observation deck on the 107th floor of the South Tower. It took over 3 minutes to reach the 107th floor. I am not sure I would get on that elevator today. I have been stuck on an elevator numerous times to the extent that I will never get on an elevator with more than 4 people in it at any one time. But that is a story for another time.  You could feel the speed of the elevator as it rocked back and forth speeding non-stop to the 107th floor.

It was worth the trip. Do you get a tingling feeling in your lower extremities when you are very high up and are looking over the edge to whatever is below you?  What a sight! The observation area was floor to ceiling glass. There were drawings on the glass windows highlighting the New York skyline. But the exhilarating lifetime experience was yet to come.

We rode the escalators up this kind of dark cavernous space which was windy and went outside to the outdoor viewing platform on the roof of the South Tower. The South Tower rooftop observation area was at the 110th floor, at a height of 1,377 feet. It was a clear day and you could see 50 miles away. There was a fence on the roof with the viewing platform in the middle of the roof. We stood outside on the roof of the tallest building in the world. It was an experience of a lifetime. It took my breath away. The accessibility of such a thing seems so unreal today.

I remember how windy it was out there on the top. I remember seeing helicopters flying in the spaces between the buildings below us. I remember the exhilarating feeling of being out in the open, high in the sky, on the top of one of the Twin Towers.

The South Tower, where I stood on the roof that beautiful day, collapsed after burning for 56 minutes on September 11, 2001. A half hour later, the North Tower collapsed. I remember those twin towers reaching high in sky and the feeling of being on top of the world. I remember looking down and how far it was to the streets below.

I still shudder with horror at the thought of those very desperate people deciding to jump instead of facing the fate of burning to death high in the sky. I cannot imagine the horror of the people sitting at their desks and seeing a huge jet plane coming right for their building. I cannot imagine the horror of realizing that any escape was cut off below.

Ten years later when I look at pictures of those two buildings, I remember standing on the roof of the tower without the antennae.  I realize how different our world is today from what it was in the 80's when we had free access to go to the top of the world. A time when we feared no one and had the freedom and accessibility to experience standing on the 110th floor of the World Trade Center South Tower.

I mourn all those people who lost their lives that day in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania and feel sorrow for the family members who lost their loved ones.

What a wonderful memory marred by such ugliness, hatred, heartache and tragedy. Terror visited our nation that day in September 2001 and nothing is the same.

Learning to Drive

My sister's grandchildren are staying with us for a week. Her grandson is on the high side of 14 and just got his learner's permit. He has taken the classroom training and will have his driver's education training in a few days. She is letting him drive while he is staying with us to get some experience in driving around a big city since he comes from a small community north of here.

I forgot what it is like to be in a car with a new driver. It brings back memories real quick. I have been through this phase with my son and my brother's three sons. What is really nerve wracking though is the breath intake and reaction coming from the passenger seat occupied by the grandmother. She makes me more nervous than the learning grandson.

It's that heaving sucking sound of apprehension that makes a 14 year old question his action and makes me nervous as I sit in the back seat that we are going to be rear ended because of his hesitation due to that heaving sucking sound. What I tell the grandson is that she does that sucking sound of apprehension when she is with me too. In all fairness to her, she was in a roll over car accident because of a drunk driver many years ago with her young daughter and niece as passengers.   It has stayed with her all these years and has affected her response to driving actions. Her reactions have the potential to make me a nervous wreck and I am an experienced driver. Think what it does to a 14 year old grandson.

We were driving down 26th street tonight and the light changed to yellow just as he was entering the intersection. In my mind, as the back seat rider, he had already committed. In his grandmother's mind, the light turned yellow and she kind of hollered out to stop. Well, he was already in the intersection when he started to stop in reaction to her reaction. OMG, my thought was, we are going to be hit. I softly leaned forward and told him to keep moving and I not so softly told her to button down the reactions.

I asked him who was going to be his learning instructor and he said his principal. I said, well, thank goodness, it will probably be easier than being instructed by his grandmother, bless her good intentions.

Some thoughts expressed by this inexperienced grandson driver and some instruction from the grandmother:

•  Parked cars make me nervous. I am worried I am going to take their side mirrors off.  Well, , don't drive so close to them then.
• I don't think I should drive since I am full from supper.You are going to drive because you  need the experience.
• A lesson in the real meaning and importance of a turn signal. Use it, use it, use it!
• Why you should use your 3 mirrors. You need to always know what is beside you, coming at you or is behind you.
• Please look before you change lanes and signal please. That means turning your head!
• How do I know when to go when I get to a stop sign? Who goes first? Consequently a lesson on what "all way" stop means and what it doesn't always mean to other drivers.
• Stopping behind the white line at an intersection so that van doesn't have swerve out to pass you.
• Merging onto the interstate means picking up speed, not stopping or moving at the pace of snail. Pick up your speed, pick up your speed or we are going to get hit.

I actually feel sorry for the new driver. It is a bundle of nerves just doing something that is intimidating because of the traffic and not feeling confident. Add to it the nervous outbursts of parents and grandparents and it makes for a unique experience that is not what I call a fun learning event.

It is a right of passage. We have all gone through it and we have survived. We just want our learner to be safe. As my sister said to her grandson, I don't want to have to pass one of those think signs on the side of the road and think of you. He said, what is a think sign?

 I just sighed quietly in the back seat.  I think we need to leave Grandma home.

Ice Road Truckers

 I have found a new program to watch on TV. It is called Ice Road Truckers. It is on the History Channel which I find kind of interesting. Anyway, this show is along the lines of the cable show called Deadliest Catch. Yes, I watch that one too. I am hooked on Lisa and Alex and Greg and Jack and all the other drivers as they compete to be the load leader of the season. Oh yes, they make a lot of money doing this kind of driving too. They also toot their horn a lot. Why, I don't know since there is never anyone else around. Solitary, very solitary.

I am fascinated by these truckers who must maneuver the roads in Alaska and the fact that a couple of them are young women. They drive roads and hills called roller coaster. They use push trucks to get a heavy load up an icy hill. They drive on ice highways which are really frozen rivers and lakes.  I am enthralled with their driving skills and all the down shifting they have to do to maneuver those huge trucks through that harsh winter country. Why anyone lives there is beyond me. Minus 40 degree weather - out there putting chains on tires and fixings loads does not look like fun to me.

The reason I am writing about this at all is that I was sitting at the intersection of 33rd and Minnesota this morning and what do I see? A huge semi-tractor trailer moving about 5 miles an hour through the intersection. A woman is driving the rig and I can see 2 guys leaning forward in the aft cabin area. On the trailer it reads: MCT Student Driver in training. Cool. A woman is learning to drive one of those big a.... trucks. I wonder if she watches Ice Road Truckers and decided she wanted to drive a big truck in Alaska. I was glad she wasn't learning to make a left turn. Have you ever been sitting at an intersection when one of those trucks is turning and you can almost wipe the dirt off the trailer as it passes by you?

I always thought it might be kind of fun to ride with someone who drove a truck on a trip somewhere in America. You sit up high and can see down into the other cars. You can see unobstructed for miles ahead. Maybe see a pesky highway patroman before you are right on top of him. What does it look like it in the sleeping quarters behind the driver's seat, anyway? How they get those big trucks down little tight streets or alleys is beyond me. Have you seen a truck back into the back of the Sunshine store down on 2nd Avenue? I can't even back up straight in my van. My very first car was a two door Ford Fairlane Super Sport with a 4 on the floor. I wonder if I can shift one of those semis. If only I didn't have to back up.

I wish that woman truck driver in training good luck. I am impressed she was giving this job a try. I hope she learns to go a little faster though. She was holding up traffic on Minnesota Avenue. Who knows, maybe I will see her on the History Channel in an Ice Road Trucker series. They could use another woman on that show.

Ten four good buddy!

The Anatomy of Men Behaving Badly

Once again, we are bombarded with another man in the public eye who has behaved badly. The latest is Congressman Anthony Weiner. The list is getting lengthy and it covers both political parties.  I consider myself an enlightened person, but I just don't get it with these men in powerful, elected positions who seem to think they are invincible and the best thing since sliced bread and yet do really stupid things in their personal lives. Then they compound the bad behavior by using their cell phones and social media to promote the bad behavior.

What is the anatomy of men behaving badly (no pun intended)?

• Some seedy immoral behavior is exposed by the media or by some woman hoping to capitalize on fame and fortune.
• They are caught and start plotting their response.
• They lie.
• When that doesn't work, they admit it.
• They apologize to the public and their families.
• They beg forgiveness.
• They seek treatment.

Meanwhile, their families are  left in shambles. Their constituents and followers are left betrayed. They are ridiculed in public. They go on thinking this too will pass and everything will be forgotten. They lose their jobs or resign. Some bounce back.  Look at Spitzer who landed a job at CNN. Sorry, my gag reflex kicks in right about the admittance phase of their spectacular fall from grace. You know what is coming next. It is the woe is me phase, please understand me, please feel sorry for me.

What are they thinking? Oh, right, they are not thinking with their brains. What is it that these men behaving badly have in common, you might ask? Here is my take on what I think these men have in common.

• They seek power and adore the limelight and the attention, especially from other women.
• They are enamored with power.  
• They have an ego the size of Mount Rushmore.
• They have a strong self preoccupation with themselves and how great they are and they have to tell us about their greatness at every opportunity.
• Outside forces or influence do not necessarily intrude on their mentality so a grounding of their public behavior is absent.
• They are concerned solely with their own desires and interests.
• They have what I heard coined recently - delusional hubris. They have exaggerated pride and a self centeredness about themselves.  They are great and no one can touch them.
• Their fall from grace is usually spectacular.
• They probably all had a dirty little secret(s) that they got away with and because of their delusion of greatness and self importance, it propelled their bad behavior to greater heights of risk taking.

Bad behavior is not new. Civilization abounds with stories of bad behavior. It doesn't mean we have to like it or condone it. Just stop it and don't accept it. Their personal apologies are sickening and too late. Their run to self help clinics as a way to gain forgiveness is shallow and just part of their game and self preoccupation with themselves.  I personally just want these bad behaving men to look in the mirror and, for once, recognize their lacking character and go away.

Taking personal responsibility for one's behavior - too bad it's missing in the men behaving badly.

A Trip to Fort Snelling

Once a year, around the time of the Memorial Day holiday, my sister and I drive to Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota to place flowers on my Mother's grave. Thursday was the day and my sister's daughter came with us. We used to take my father with us but he is 92 years old and no longer able to make the trip from Mankato.

 It was a beautiful day, full of sunshine and blue sky. My mother is buried there because my father is veteran. When he dies his casket will be placed on top of her casket in the same burial plot. His name, rank and dates of birth and death will be one side of the headstone and her name will be on the other. For now, only one side of the headstone is engraved with her name.

The cemetery is filled with people this time of year - young people, middle aged people, old people, and children. We all have something in common. We come to honor a loved one who was either a veteran or was married to a veteran. My father served in the Army as a Captain during World War II and has earned the right to be buried at the national cemetery. It is very important to him that he be buried at Fort Snelling. It was important to him that my mother was buried there when she died in 1983.

Those of us who come to honor our loved ones place flowers and flags at the headstone of our beloved mother, father, wife, husband, brother, sister, son or daughter. We are all reflective in our thoughts. We may laugh and tell stories or reflect on a special memory or two. Some have a picnic at the grave site of their loved one. Some stand silently or sit touching the headstone. Some weep softly.

Today as I was walking away from my mother's grave, I watched a man painstakingly unwrap two flags and place them on either side of one of the white marble headstones. He stood there before the headstone for a moment, head bowed. Then he smartly saluted, drank a toast and silently turned and walked away. Honor, love, and respect for someone obviously very dear to him. I just witnessed a very personal and lonely moment in that man's life and my heart ached for him.

Fort Snelling is an awe inspiring, reflective place. It is especially awe inspiring this time of year. United States flags are flying everywhere and line the streets of the cemetery. There are acres and acres of white marble headstones lined perfectly straight, row upon row. This is but one national cemetery in this country. To contemplate the multitude of men and women who have served their country and given their lives so we can live free is overwhelming. On Memorial Day, there will be a celebration and the cemetery will be filled to overflowing with people and cars.

I like to go to Fort Snelling before the big celebration on Memorial Day. It is a peaceful, private time. A trip to Fort Snelling - a bittersweet but yet heart filled visit filled with love for a mother I miss dearly and gratitude for the many men and women who bravely served our country.