February 15, 2006 - Wednesday

Subject: SHIVERCITY GAZETTE

02/15/06 WEDNESDAY
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Todays Gazette is being brought to you, in part, by Judy & Jayne's
Juvenile Shop of Grafton.
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The current temperature is -15 degrees.
Yesterdays H/L temperature was 33/-17
Normal H/L temp for this date is 23/4
Already the house is creaking and cracking as it gets acclaimated
to the much colder weather. It is cold but it's going to get a whole lot
colder in the next few days.
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"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
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L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
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Still no definite word on opening dates for the Pizza Hut, Reds
Sports Bar (formerly Shananigans) or the Taco/Italian/mexican or what
ever it is going into the former Taco place in the Castle properties
building. It sounds like Subway will be staying where they are for
another year, before moving to their new location on the corner of 12th
street and Main Avenue.
Judging by the way the downtown sidewalks are being cleaned.
It doesn't appear as though the old Pederson Jewelry / Walsh County Bank
building has new owners,....yet. Rumor has it, the Taylor organization
has, or, will be taking over that property. I'm guessing it hasn't
happened yet because the sidewalks in front haven't been cleaned of snow
and ice.
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Pat and I spent our 46th Valentine supper (dinner for you folks
south of St. Paul) together last night at Marketplace on 8th. Pat had
shrimp and I had a ribeye. The salad bar at Marketplace is second to
none in the entire area. We went early, hoping to beat the crowd. The
way it turned out, everyone must have had the same idea.
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Kermit sent the following report on the recent New York snow
storm. >>> It's in the 20s....love it! Finally able to look out on a
snow covered
woods and ground. Spent the weekend in the NYC blizzard. Very
exciting........the beautiful Manhattan skyline is about 3 full city
blocks away from our daughter's apt. and it was invisible...a complete
whiteout all night an day. Looking down from the 16th floor on the
snarled street of criss-crossed vehicles, I counted 18 cabs and 2 busses
and a semi truck in one short block. It was reported a record snow fall
in Central Park of 26+ inches. Mother Nature is in her glory and the
hearts of NY wake up and warm up. I long for the blizzards of MN. youth
days. <<< Thanks for caring and sharing Kermit. Sometimes we question
the accuracy of weather reports from so far away. Notes like yours add
credibility to their reports.
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Subject: Grafton Toy Show
Gary
Could you please mention the Farm Toy Show in Grafton this weekend This
is the 24th Annual Toy show in Grafton....it will be held at the Armory,
Sat 9 to 5 and Sun 10 to 3. We have many vendors coming from all over
the state.
Thank you...keep up the good work.
Ross and Colleen Anderson <<< Thanks for caring and sharing. Ross is a
major participant in toys shows throughout the area. A walk down the
isles of a toy show is like a walk down memory lane. Often I find myself
saying, "I had one of those" or "I remember one of the neighbor kids had
one of them."
There was a peddle airplane at the last toy show I attended. I
remember the LaMont's having one exactly like it, spinning propeller and
all. That same toy show had an erector set identical to ours and Ronnie
Freedland. I wonder what memories this years toy show evoke? Memories
are wonderful, aren't they?
+++++++++++++++
MONEY WILL BUY A PRETTY GOOD DOG, BUT IT WON'T BUY THE WAG OF HIS
TAIL.
+++++++++++++++
One of my greatest pleasures has been watching my family
grow. First, hoping they will all grow up safe and healthy. Next came
the worry, that nothing serious would happen, fallowed by wonder and
amazement and ultimately, the realization that my children are full
grown. My grandchildren too are almost grown, and, I am already watching
the first of what I hope will be a long line of great grandchildren in
Kylie Alise.
It's no secret the original intent of the Gazette was to exchange
thoughts, feelings and ideas between "our" immediate family members. I
am pleased our granddaughter Toni has taken the time to share the
following thoughts with us. She wrote: >>> Hi Grandpa--
Happy Valentines Day!! I am writing in response to the
uprising of disdain for the current system "failures" of checks and
balances. I am well aware of both sides and I find myself somewhere
teetering in the middle. I don't agree with all portions of the Patriot
Act. The acquisition of information on books checked out of a library,
the wiretapping and some others. Although I don't necessarily agree with
these new infringements and the ease by which anyone can be accused of
illegal activities, I do have some statistics to possibly ease the minds
of some of those who are in uproar of the wiretapping situation.
According to a report issued by the Administration Office of the United
States Courts a total of 1,710 Intercept (wiretap) orders were
authorized in 2004 and 1,633 were actually installed. (Also keep in mind
that the population estimate of the United States in July of 2005 was
approximately 295,734,134 people.) These statistics cover state and
federal applications.
I remind you that these are results from 2004, I was unable
to find accurate results for 2005. Although the reasons being used now
for the wiretapping are those of terroristic apprehension, of the 1,710
wiretaps authorized by courts in 2004, 1,308 of them were in the area of
Narcotics. Results are broken down by state as well as an overall total.
(Being a number person, statistics always help me to put my positions
into perspective on issues such as these.) I realize that random
wiretaps are an infringement on my civil liberties and don't necessarily
agree with them, but clearly they are not randomly tapping all lines. I
do have faith in our government, after all I am one of those that
elected them and so did a majority of our fellow citizens. If you do not
trust our appointed officials you have your chance to make a stand and
your voice heard at our nations next opinion poll, the elections.
Sorry if I was rambling but I just think that facts explain and help
enlighten and numbers seem to do that for me. If you know of any site
that portrays the 2005 statistics I would like to explore that as well.
Have a great sweetheart holiday and give your sweetheart a
hug and hello from me. See you soon, Love you, Toni <<< Thank you for
caring and sharing. I might add that Toni also included the name of the
website she obtained her stats from. If anyone would like to have that
site I'll be happy to share it. Your grandmother and I love you, very
much, as well Toni.
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GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
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The Gazette works best, when the folks the read it, write it. Or
so it seems to me.


Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they are,
before it's too late.